China shuts cattle farm after anthrax outbreak, five human infections
In eastern China’s Shandong province, an outbreak of anthrax has been reported, prompting the closure of a beef cattle farm. According to the Disease Control and Prevention Centre of Yanggu County, all livestock on the affected farm have been culled to contain the outbreak.
The centre, in a statement released via WeChat, reported that five farm workers who had direct contact with the infected animals have been diagnosed with cutaneous anthrax. These individuals are currently receiving treatment in isolation. The statement reassured the public that cutaneous anthrax, a form of the disease that affects the skin, is a preventable, controllable, and treatable zoonotic infection, with rare human-to-human transmission.
Anthrax is caused by a bacterium that naturally exists in soil and typically affects herbivores such as cattle, sheep, and horses. It can occur when these animals come into contact with spores from contaminated soil, plants, or water. Human infection is not contagious and usually results from direct exposure to infected animals or their products.
