North Dakota reports 25th animal anthrax case of 2023, 1st since August

1 case = 1 affected premises; there may be multiple animals per premises

The North Dakota Department of Agriculture reported a new confirmed case of anthrax in beef cattle in Grant County.

Photo by David Dolenc on Unsplash

Officials say the last confirmed case in the state was in August. The latest case brings the total number of cases for the year to 25 —Grant County (20), Hettinger County (4) and Adams County (1).

This is the most cases reported in a single year since 2000 when 32 cases were reported (22 cases were reported from 2001-2022).

For clarity, it is important to note that Department of Agriculture says one case equals one affected premises and there may be may be multiple animals per premises.

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“The case shows how anthrax spores can remain in an environment for a long period of time,” State Veterinarian Dr. Ethan Andress said. “There is a vaccine and many producers in the affected area worked with veterinarians to administer vaccinations earlier this year.”

Vaccines must be given annually for continued protection. Producers should monitor their herds for unexplained deaths and work with their veterinarian to ensure appropriate samples are collected and submitted to a diagnostic lab to give the best chance of obtaining a diagnosis.

“While it is unusual to see anthrax this late in the year, producers should remember that occasionally cases can be seen, especially when mild weather allows cattle to remain out on pasture,” Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said. 

Other states reporting animal anthrax this year include Texas, South Dakota and Minnesota, which reported their first case in a decade.

Anthrax is a bacterial pathogen in livestock and wild animals. Ruminants such as bison, cattle, sheep and goats are highly susceptible, and horses can also be infected.

Anthrax is a very serious disease of livestock because it can potentially cause the rapid loss of a large number of animals in a very short time. Affected animals are often found dead with no illness detected.

When conditions become favorable, the spores germinate into colonies of bacteria. An example would be a grazing cow ingests spores that in the cow, germinate, grow spread and eventually kill the animal. Anthrax is caused by the bacterium, Bacillus anthracis. This spore forming bacteria can survive in the environment for decades because of its ability to resist heat, cold, drying, etc. This is usually the infectious stage of anthrax.

There are no reports of person-to-person transmission of anthrax. People get anthrax by handling contaminated animal or animal products, consuming undercooked meat of infected animals and more recently, intentional release of spores.

There are three types of human anthrax with differing degrees of seriousness: cutaneous, gastrointestinal and inhalation.