North Dakota has confirmed its 25th case of anthrax this year, the highest in the state since 2005.
According to the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, the first case of anthrax was reported in August in Grant County and neighboring Hettinger and Adams counties. Those cases have led to around 170 cattle deaths.
“The case shows how anthrax spores can remain in an environment for a long period of time,” Andress told The Bismarck Tribune. “There is a vaccine and many producers in the affected area worked with veterinarians to administer vaccinations earlier this year.”
State Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said it’s surprising to see anthrax this late in the year, but “producers should remember that occasionally cases can be seen, especially when mild weather allows cattle to remain out on pasture.”
The North Dakota outbreak this year is the deadliest since 2005. 18 cases of cattle anthrax were confirmed between 2006 and last year. Since a vaccine for animals is readily available and inexpensive, outbreaks in the U.S. are uncommon.
“Many producers in the affected area worked with veterinarians to administer vaccinations earlier this year,” Andress continued.
The disease is not contagious, as it is caused by bacterial spores that can lie dormant in the ground for decades and become active under ideal conditions, such as drought. Over 500 verified animal deaths resulted from 109 anthrax cases in 2005; the total estimated livestock losses were over 1,000.
The risk to humans from naturally occurring anthrax is also minimal. Infection in the country usually results from handling infected livestock’s corpses or fluids without wearing protective gear, which spreads the spores and causes a skin infection that is easily treated.
“People may develop cutaneous anthrax after exposure to infected animals and animal products including hides, hair, and wool and may develop a more serious form of anthrax after eating contaminated undercooked meat or by inhaling the spores during a necropsy or disposal of opened carcasses,” the department’s website read.
According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the greatest danger to humans comes from breathing in spores, which are nearly always fatal if left untreated.
