Outbreak of anthrax kills Australian farm animals
Pastor Dale Morgan
Outbreak of anthrax kills Australian farm animals*
December 27, 2007 01:22pm
Article from: AAP
AUTHORITIES in NSW are investigating an anthrax outbreak, saying its
discovery in the Upper Hunter region is surprising but not suspicious.
The potentially deadly disease has been detected on four farms at
Rouchel, near Scone in the Upper Hunter region, since Christmas Eve, and
about 10 animals have died.
A Department of Primary Industries (DPI) spokesman said up to six
naturally occurring anthrax outbreaks were expected in NSW every year,
but they generally occurred within a known area in the state's west.
"We've got veterinary investigations and epidemiologists working on the
case ... we are surprised that it turned up in Scone," DPI spokesman
Brett Fifield said today.
"Traditionally in NSW, there is an anthrax belt where these things
occur, so we'll be looking as to how this occurred at Scone, but bear in
mind that anthrax can live in the ground ... for many many years, in
some cases 100.
"So this could be somewhat of a sleeper from the past."
Mr Fifield said vaccination teams from the state's west had been
dispatched to the Rouchel properties and a containment program was being
rolled out.
"Around 10 animals have died and our vaccination campaign is now well
underway, stopping the spread of the disease," he said.
"We are receiving excellent cooperation from the (farm) owners, and we
will continue to work with them to ensure that any more mortalities are
minimised."
Anthrax is a bacterial infection that, without treatment, is deadly in
animals and humans.
Since 1982, there have been only three reported cases of people in NSW
contracting anthrax.