Published Date: 1997-08-21 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Anthrax - USA (South Dakota, Texas)
Archive Number: 19970821.1753

ANTHRAX - USA (SOUTH DAKOTA, TEXAS)
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A ProMED-mail post
[see
Anthrax, animals - USA (Texas) 970806161154]
Date: Wed,, 20 Aug 1997
From: Dorothy Preslar <dpreslar@fas.org>
Source: Media Reports
Three outbreaks of anthrax in the southeast section of South Dakota have
killed more than 20 cattle in less than 4 weeks, media sources report,
quoting State Veterinarian Sam Holland. These are the first cases since
1995. Carcasses have been destroyed; affected farms have been quarantined.
In Texas, as reported by an Austin newspaper on 17 Aug, a warning has been
issued for field researchers and farmers working in south Texas and western
Edwards Plateau to take precautions against anthrax from now until the onset
of winter. The warning comes after rains followed drought, providing
opportunity for spore exposure in the soils. More information may be
obtained from the Wildlife Division (512-389-4505) and the Zoonosis Control
Division of the DOH (512-458-7255).
---
Dorothy Preslar <dpreslar@fas.org>
[I have just returned from a visit to the NWT and Alberta, Canada, to
discuss this disease with my Canadian colleagues. Their experience is
instructive in that animals (bison and cattle) found dead from anthrax in
NWT and northern Alberta shed very little blood if any; quite different from
the textbooks and personal experience when the blood spread from an anthrax
carcass is obvious and sometimes spectacular. Their carcasses are oedematous
and bloated, and not dissimilar to animals found dead from certain poisonous
plants and toxic algae. There may be a dribble of blood from the nose but
frequently not even that. Subsequent enquiries have revealed that this is
seen elsewhere. It readily results in reduced suspecion and carcasses being
sent off for rendering without further examination. Of course, if one does a
post-mortem without first taking a blood smear from one of these cases, you
will have a revealing time as the necropsy progresses and in
burning/disinfecting the carcass & site afterwards. MHJ]
..........................................mhj/pc

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