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ELK MOUNTAIN, Wyo. – Wyoming officials are grappling with a serious anthrax outbreak that has affected both livestock and wildlife.
A moose carcass in Carbon County tested positive for the disease on Tuesday, marking the first confirmed case of anthrax in wildlife in Wyoming since 1956, according to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. This recent detection is the only documented case reported in wildlife at this time. The last confirmed wildlife anthrax case in Wyoming dates back to 1956 in Sublette County.
In addition, multiple cattle near Elk Mountain also succumbed to the infection, the Wyoming Livestock Board confirmed late Saturday afternoon. This is the first confirmed anthrax in Wyoming beef herds since the 1970s.
“We have approximately 50 to 60 head that have died at this time due to anthrax,” state veterinarian Dr. Hallie Hasel told Cowboy State Daily on Wednesday. “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 emphasized the importance of swift action to protect both animal and human health in response to the outbreak.
“Protecting animal and human health is critical upon diagnosis of a zoonotic disease,” she adds.
Hereford cattle graze on a Wyoming ranch in 2001.
(Robert Nickelsberg / Getty Images)
Anthrax is a serious bacterial disease caused by Bacillus anthracis. This bacterium can form spores that can survive in the soil for decades, leading to outbreaks following periods of drought and heavy rain.
Animals, both domestic and wild, can become infected by inhaling or ingesting spores found in contaminated soil, plants or water.
A close-up electron micrograph of anthrax bacteria spores.
(BSIP/Universal Images Group / Getty Images)
According to the Wyoming Livestock Board, livestock infected with anthrax may exhibit a variety of symptoms, including sudden death, weakness, staggering, difficulty breathing, fever and bloody diarrhea.
While human cases are rare, officials are urging caution and recommending precautions such as avoiding contact with dead animals and seeking medical attention if necessary.
The Wyoming Livestock Board is working with cattle producers and veterinarians to implement measures to reduce the spread of anthrax and minimize human exposure. They say an anthrax vaccine is highly effective in preventing the disease and is available for multiple livestock species.