The spores can remain dormant for years until they find their way into a host. Common hosts for anthrax include wild or domestic livestock, such as sheep, cattle, horses and goats.
Most human cases of anthrax occur as a result of exposure to infected animals or their meat or hides. In the United States, a few people have developed anthrax while making traditional African drums from the skins of infected animals.
One of the few known instances of nonanimal transmission was a bioterrorism attack that occurred in the United States in Twenty-two people developed anthrax after being exposed to spores sent through the mail, and five of those infected died.
More recently, in two separate outbreaks, heroin users in Europe contracted anthrax through injecting illegal drugs. A total of 40 people died. Heroin sold in Europe likely comes from areas where naturally occurring anthrax is more common.
To contract anthrax, you must come in direct contact with anthrax spores. This is more likely if you:. To prevent infection after being exposed to anthrax spores, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends:.
An anthrax vaccine is available for certain groups of people. The vaccine doesn't contain live bacteria and can't lead to infection. However, the vaccine can cause side effects, ranging from soreness at the injection site to more-serious allergic reactions.
The vaccine isn't intended for the general public. Instead, it's reserved for military personnel, scientists working with anthrax and people in other high-risk professions. If you live or travel in a country where anthrax is common and herd animals aren't routinely vaccinated, avoid contact with livestock and animal skins as much as possible. Also avoid eating meat that hasn't been properly cooked. Even in developed countries, it's important to handle any dead animal with care and to take precautions when working with or processing imported hides, fur or wool.
Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. If one or more people have been infected with anthrax with no evidence of exposure to infected animals or their products, a deliberate release of anthrax organisms must be considered as a possible source. In , 22 human cases of anthrax were identified in the United States after the intentional release of highly refined anthrax spores via a number of postal items mailed from Trenton, New Jersey.
At the time, no mail transmission occurred elsewhere in the world. Since that time, no mail transmission of anthrax has occurred in the United States or elsewhere in the world. None of these incidents were shown to involve anthrax.
The use of anthrax as a bioterrorism agent remains a hypothetical risk. However the likelihood that an individual or terrorist group could prepare and disseminate anthrax in Australia is considered low.
The USA manufactures a vaccine for anthrax, but this is not registered in Australia. The vaccine can, however, be imported by special arrangement when it is needed.
The vaccination involves six doses, three given two weeks apart followed by three additional injections given at six, 12 and 18 months after the first dose. An annual booster is required to maintain ongoing immunity. This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:. The Western obsession with cleanliness may be partly responsible for the increase in allergic asthma and conditions such as rhinitis.
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Summary Read the full fact sheet. If using antibiotics, vaccination with an anthrax vaccine should be delayed for two to five days, depending on the antibiotic used. The vaccine is a spore vaccine and antibiotics may interfere with proper immunization of the animal. However, when faced with an outbreak situation, administering an antibiotic and a vaccine concurrently has been effective.
Consult your local veterinarian for a recommendation. An effective vaccine nonencapsulated, Sterne 34F2 strain is available. Because anthrax is a reportable disease, details on the use of the vaccine should be coordinated through the office of the state veterinarian. It is relatively safe and provides effective protection on most species of livestock. Use caution when administering it to horses. Cases of Clostridial infections have been reported in horses at the injection site where the horses were vaccinated during a rainfall or when the horses had wet hair coats.
If using the anthrax vaccine, follow all label directions for proper withdrawal times, including withholding of milk and meat products from the market. The carcass and all materials associated with the carcass should be destroyed and the ground should be disinfected. This can be very difficult.
The preferred method of destruction is incinerating the carcass. If incineration or cremation is not possible, burying the carcass deep at least 6 feet is acceptable.
Dig a pit about 2 feet deep and exceeding the length and breadth of the carcass by about 1 foot on each side Figure A. Dig a trench 1 foot by 1 foot along the length of the center of the pit, extending beyond the ends of the pit by about 3 feet; this serves as an air duct for the fire under the carcass Figure B. Fill the trench and cover the bottom of the pit with straw and soak it with an accelerant kerosene or diesel fuel Figure C. Figure B. Cross section. Figure C. Cross section of pit ready for burning.
Wood, such as trees or pallets that have been cut to fit across the trench and within the sides of the pit, then should be placed on top of the straw.
Add other pieces of wood or coal until the pit is filled to the level of the ground surface. Saturate all of this with accelerant.
If you have questions regarding what other types of materials are acceptable to use in the burn, contact the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Air Quality, at The carcass then can be lifted or drawn onto the pyre combustible heap. Pour further accelerant over the carcass. Ignite the fire at either end of the trench. Once the incineration is well under way probably after the first hour , cover the pyre with corrugated metal or other metal sheeting to retain heat but not lose ventilation.
If blood and body fluids have contaminated the ground and material under the animal, they should be incinerated as well. Remove soil deep enough to collect any blood and body fluids that have seeped into it.
This could be up to 6 inches. This material can be placed on top of the carcass prior to igniting the pyre Figure C. After incineration, cover ashes and contaminated soil with soil removed from the pit. If producers suspect anthrax, have a veterinarian aseptically collect a jugular blood sample for culture. The document is available for download in multiple languages below. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate.
What is Anthrax? Minus Related Pages. How animals get infected with anthrax Domestic and wild animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, antelope, and deer can become infected when they breathe in or ingest spores in contaminated soil, plants, or water.
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