August

Argentina-Rural outbreak of anthrax
24 Aug 2009
Ramon Noseda [edited][ProMed]
An outbreak of anthrax occurred on 20 Aug 2009, in the partido (district) of Carlos Tejedor (Paraje (village): Curary) in the province of Buenos Aires killing 6 adult cattle -- British breed of cattle, 4-5 years old. The affected herd has 1300 head.
Suspecting a clostridial cause the veterinarian had carried out a careful necropsy. However the animals had died suddenly with a bloody extravasation from their natural openings (mouths, nose, anus, vagina). Following standard Argentine procedure he submitted metacarpal bones andBacillus anthraciswas recovered from the medullae. The herd had not been vaccinated and had no prior history of this disease.
All the carcasses were quickly burnt. There were no human cases involved.

July

Argentina- Anthrax, Bovine (Buenos Aires)
15 Jul 2009
Ramon Noseda [edited][ProMed]
On 25 Jun 2009, a cow on an estancia aborted in the Partido de Tres Arroyos. The estancia veterinarian sent the abortus to the local diagnostic laboratory, whereB. anthraciswas cultured, and when injected into a mouse, killed it in 28 hours, confirming the identification and pathogenicity. The cow herself died within 48 hours of aborting, andB. anhraciswas recovered from the cow's metacarpus Anthrax had never before been recorded on this estancia. The livestock had, however, been vaccinated 60 days previously. It is now winter, and they recently had their 1st frost. There has been rain.
There are problems properly disposing of the infected carcass.

June

Argentina-Anthrax, human and livestock, 2008
10 Jun 2009
Ramon Noseda [edited] [ProMed]
A total of 3 Argentinean provinces -- Buenos Aires, Cordoba and La Pampa -- have reported 20 outbreaks of bovine anthrax. During this year [2008], 6 human cases of cutaneous anthrax were reported at the national level: 4 cases in the Province of Buenos Aires and 2 in the Province of Entre Rios. In the Assessment Area of the Province of Buenos Aires, the average annual percent distribution of positive samples submitted for the period 1977-2008 was 12 percent; during 1977-1981 it was 18 percent positive sample and by 2002-2006 it had reached 11 percent.
In the year 2008, this percentage fell to only 4 percent, similar to that obtained in 2007.
The Seasonal Percent Distribution also showed a declining tendency, with 7 percent in summer and 2 percent in autumn, and with similar values for the winter and spring. Usually twice as many summer samples are positive compared to the other seasons. This probably reflects a recent change of climate: there was a drought with only 667mm [26.25 inches] of rain during the year, the lowest in the last 47 years, and high mean temperatures of 2C [35.6 DEGF]; the usual annual regional rainfall is 973mm [38.3 inches].
In the Alert and Response Zone in the county of Azul there were no cases of bovine or human anthrax reported in 2008. This area carries some 549,927 head of cattle; in the period 1988-2007 there were 67 outbreaks of anthrax. In 2008, 536 herds or 132 610 head were vaccinated. The Province of Buenos Aires, over the 1977-2008 period has reported 258 outbreaks of bovine anthrax in 51 counties. The other 4 Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories in the Province of Buenos Aires and in La Pampa processed 154 samples, in 22 of which (14 percent)B. anthraciswas isolated.
The annual production of the anti-anthrax vaccine throughout the country was: 18,630,250 doses from 7 production plants. Sensitivity and resistance to the most frequently used antibiotics were evaluated in the 7 strains isolated fromB. anthracisin the Assessment Area: 100 percent of the strains were sensitive to Penicillin, Tetracycline, Florphenicol, Gentamicin, and Ciprofloxacine. Only Trimetoprim Sulfatometoxazol showed a resistance of 86 percent. It is necessary to continue promoting adequate sanitary measures for effective control of this zoonosis: vaccination of susceptible animals, efficient carcass disposal, and protection of the personnel involved for the welfare of the national Public Health.

January

Uruguay– Anthrax (Durazno)
27 Jan 2009
AP [edited] [Promed]
According to this story, two rural laborers in the department of Durazno in the center of Uruguay have been hospitalized with cutaneous anthrax, according to the local authorities. It is reported that the disease is enzootic in Uruguayan cattle and that a dozen outbreaks are noted each year. Human cases follow from handling hides from infected dead animals.


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