According to Cowboy State Daily, an anthrax outbreak has killed at least 50 cattle in Wyoming.

Anthrax has also reportedly been found in a moose inhabiting the same area.

It’s the first documented case of anthrax in Wyoming wildlife since 1956.

“Anthrax has also been found in nearby cattle in Carbon County, officials said, the first confirmed infections in Wyoming cattle since the 1970s,” Forbes stated.

“We have approximately 50 to 60 head that have died at this time due to anthrax,” Wyoming State Veterinarian Dr. Hallie Hasel told Cowboy State Daily.

“It’s in a localized region at this time, but we are still investigating, and there could be other losses that we don’t know of quite yet,” Hasel added.

Per Cowboy State Daily:

The full extent of the outbreak hasn’t been determined, but anthrax remains a potent threat to livestock, wildlife and people in the impacted area. Hasel recommends everyone in the Elk Mountain area take steps to protect themselves from potential exposure.

“Anthrax is a zoonotic disease, and we are concerned about that,” she said, which means a disease that can be transmitted between animals and people. “Anybody that thinks they have been exposed to a carcass of an animal that may have died of anthrax, whether it be a cow, horse, moose,= or deer, they need to contact the Wyoming Department of Public Health or their medical provider as soon as possible.”

Forbes noted:

Though “human cases are rare,” Wyoming’s Game and Fish Department said “precautions are warranted” in light of the outbreak. To limit the risk of anthrax exposure, Wyoming officials advised hunters and the public to stay away from any dead cattle or wildlife they encounter, to avoid harvesting sick-looking animals and to avoid picking up any roadkill in the Elk Mountain area, as well as to wear gloves while field dressing or handling harvested animals. The agency also advised owners of dogs, horses and other pets to keep the animals away from any carcasses they might encounter and urged anyone encountering dead wildlife to take a note of its location and report the findings. Health experts and organizations recommend seeking medical attention if anthrax exposure is suspected and antibiotics can be given as a form of post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP, to prevent anthrax from developing if symptoms haven’t developed.

 

Join The Conversation. Leave a Comment.


We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.