Anthrax – protect yourself and your livestock

Agriculture Victoria – Grampians Ag News

Dr Jeff Cave, Senior Veterinary Officer

Anthrax has caused the sudden death of livestock in Australia for the past 150 years.

Once an animal has died from anthrax, the anthrax spores can leach into and survive in the soil for decades, waiting for the right set of environmental conditions to infect another animal.

Over the decades, many districts in Victoria have experienced deaths of livestock due to anthrax.

Deaths of livestock due to anthrax mostly occur in the warmer months although history has shown they can occur at any time of year.

Therefore, anthrax should be considered whenever there is any sudden death of livestock, particularly if blood is seen around the animal’s nose, mouth, and anus.

At one time veterinarians had to carry a microscope and examine a smear of specially stained blood to rapidly diagnose anthrax.

This all changed with the development of pen-side ICT kits (immunochromatographic test), which provide a quick, safe, and accurate means of diagnosing or excluding anthrax when investigating cases of sudden death of livestock.

All private veterinarians who deal with livestock have free access to ICT kits and can investigate sudden deaths through subsidised disease investigations.

There are several reasons why it is beneficial to know whether an animal has died from anthrax.

First, anthrax is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can potentially infect humans. The exclusion of anthrax will bring peace of mind both for yourself and your veterinarian when trying to find the real cause of the animal’s death.

Secondly, the best way of stopping further losses due to anthrax is through its early diagnosis, and the subsidised vaccination of all at-risk livestock on the property.

Finally, the carcass of an animal which has died of anthrax will remain a source of infection for future outbreaks if it isn’t disposed of correctly through incineration and the decontamination of its death site.

Exclusion testing should be carried out within 48 hours of an animal’s death.

If you suspect a case of anthrax, please contact your local veterinarian, or Agriculture Victoria veterinary or animal health officer, or the Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888.

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