Extract from the URL at http://www.promedmail.org/ANTHRAX, BOVINE - UNITED KINGDOM (WALES)(04) *******************************************
Archive Number 20060429.1247 Published Date 29-APR-2006 Subject PRO/AH/EDR> Anthrax, bovine - UK (Wales)(04) ANTHRAX, BOVINE - UNITED KINGDOM (WALES)(04) ******************************************* A ProMED-mail post <http://www.promedmail.org> ProMED-mail, a program of the International Society for Infectious Diseases <http://www.isid.org> Date: 29 Apr 2006 From: ProMED-mail<promed@promedmail.org> Source: BBC News [edited] <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/4958184.stm> Tests have found no evidence of anthrax in samples of soil, sediment and water at a south Wales farm where 2 cows died of the disease. Anthrax was confirmed on Ynys Gau farm at Gwaelod-y-Garth, near Cardiff, last Sunday after 2 of 6 dead cattle were shown to be infected. Restrictions remain in places around Ynys Gau farm. But the Welsh Assembly Government said negative results in the latest tests indicated the risk to animals was low. Restrictions on land and livestock may be lifted if there are no more cases. Consideration will be given to the lifting of any restrictions on the livestock and land should no further cases occur. [Usually this is 14-21 days after herd vaccination or last known case. While it is not reported one might presume that the herd has been vaccinated. - Mod.MHJ] Environment Minister Carwyn Jones had said last week that vets believed a pool was the source of the anthrax on the farm. Officials also said they thought the outbreak was linked to a similar positive anthrax test at the same farm 35 years ago. Since the latest case was confirmed, the farm has remained sealed off, with footpaths shut and the dead cows' carcasses incinerated. The Health Protection Agency said it had now found no evidence of anthrax in any of the 15 environmental samples it took from locations considered the most likely sources of infection. In a statement, the assembly government said: "It is impossible to pinpoint the specific location in the risk area that led to the cattle becoming infected. These negative results will be used to advise the farmer on animal health measures, and taking action as appropriate should any further cases occur." "Monitoring of the remaining stock will continue. Consideration will be given to the lifting of any restrictions on the livestock and land should no further cases occur. Public health concerns have been carefully considered and implications are minimal. The main risk is to the farmer from direct contact with infected animals. He has been given appropriate advice," it went on. The risk to users of the local river was described as "negligible," while the danger to walkers and their paths after restrictions were lifted would be "minimal." The statement said: "Consequently, once we are certain that the infection is no longer present in the stock, we will consider lifting the restrictions on the rights of way. As illness in humans is usually caused by direct contact with diseased animals, it is unlikely that any persons using the public rights of way would be exposed to the infection. The possibility of infection through inhalation or ingestion of the spores is even more remote and does not present a risk in these circumstances." This is the 1st case of anthrax in Britain since a cow died on a farm in Wrexham 4 years ago. -- ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org> [This rabbiting on about negligible risks to humans is very necessary in this day and age, but to us who know the disease it seems a bit over the top. I once was taken on as a consultant by a lawyer -- I will not say where -- who, without consulting me first privately, started his public questioning on behalf of the new owner of a property, where anthrax broke out soon after the ink was dry on the sale documents, on the basis that merely opening the farm gate put one at lethal risk. He was unhappy to say the least when I told the court that it takes some effort to find the spores in soil and the number of verified cases of human anthrax from direct access to contaminated soil can be counted on the fingers of one hand, clenched. Russian statistics claim otherwise, but this comes from criminal investigations of outbreaks into the non-reporting of livestock cases. Saying that you were "hoeing a field and developed a cutaneous lesion" is the excuse given when someone had been butchering the dead animal which now is nowhere to be seen and the meat has been sold in the local market and given to neighbours. Many years ago (1972) I investigated an anthrax outbreak at Compton. It had started with one cow death which was followed about a week later by 3 more dead cows. The index cow died from a contaminated Spanish mineral mix. The secondary cases were from the extravasated blood from the 1st cow's nose; when her carcass was burnt, a small patch of bloody soil, say 12 by 18 inches, was not dung up and burnt with the carcass. The institute had constructed a small barbed wired fence around the burn site, but this bloody soil patch was right at the edge; you could see that her herd mates had found it by the wire being bent upwards and with hair attached at that specific place, presumably attracted by the smell and salt. We monitored it for some 6 months, finding it positive all the while. Unfortunately the director or someone didn't like what we were doing and the fence was removed and thus the landmarks. Based on his time in Natal, Max Stern told me that in his experience, surface-soil contamination would remain a risk for between 3 months and 3 years, which is why it is a good idea to annually vaccinate such exposed herds for 2-3 years after an outbreak. Experience has confirmed the value of his observation. While the cause of this Welsh outbreak is a matter of speculation and may never be resolved, it is interesting how other events later in the year can throw a light on a probable cause. - Mod.MHJ] [see also: Anthrax, bovine - UK (Wales) (03) 20060427.1227 Anthrax, bovine - UK (Wales) (02): OIE 20060427.1225 Anthrax, bovine - UK (Wales) 20060423.1192] ...................mhj/pg/mpp
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