Anthrax confirmed in Saskatchewan livestock

REGINA — Saskatchewan farmers are asked to be on guard for anthrax after a confirmed case of the potentially fatal disease was found in livestock in the Rural Municipality of Golden West.

The Ministry of Agriculture sent out a statement Thursday saying the infectious disease was confirmed in laboratory results. It was deemed the cause of seven animals' deaths.

The ministry could not immediately confirm the kind of animals affected, except to say that they were ruminants. Bison, cattle, sheep and goats are highly susceptible to anthrax, it said.

Anthrax is a serious infectious disease caused by a bacteria that can be found naturally in soils. It can affect both animals and humans. Domestic and wild animals can become infected if they inhale the spores.

Spores can survive for decades in soil, the provincial government noted. They can build up on pastures due to changes in soil moisture and become concentrated in sloughs and potholes. Risk of exposure increases during drier years when those areas become accessible. Animals then become infected when they eat forage contaminated with the spores.

The statement warned farmers to be on the lookout for the illness. In regions with previous outbreaks or in areas where neighbours have found cases in their livestock, producers are advised to consider vaccination.

“Anyone who suspects the presence of an anthrax case should contact their local veterinarian immediately for diagnosis,” the statement noted.

“All positive test results must be immediately reported to the provincial Chief Veterinary Officer. Producers are advised to use caution when handling potentially infected animals or carcasses.”

The ministry said livestock cases pose a minimal risk to humans, but warned that people can be infected through contact with animals or carcasses.

“In cases where people believe they have been exposed to an infected animal, they should contact their local health authority or physician for advice,” the release added.

The Rural Municipality of Golden West is located about 100 kilometres southeast of Regina.