Animal health officials in Texas report anthrax has been confirmed in a goat on an Edwards County premises earlier this week.
This is the first confirmed case in Edwards County and second reported case of anthrax in Texas this year.
The premises is located in the north west corner of Edwards County south of Sonora, Texas and has been quarantined.
Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) rules require proper disposal of affected carcasses on the premises prior to release of the quarantine.
Texas anthrax outbreak 2019 with Jason Blackburn, PhD
Anthrax is a bacterial disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, which is a naturally occurring organism with worldwide distribution, including certain parts of Texas. Anthrax cases in Texas are most often found in a triangular area bound by the towns of Uvalde, Ozona, and Eagle Pass. This case falls within this triangle.
An increase in anthrax cases after periods of wet, cool weather, followed by hot, dry conditions is common. In these conditions, animals ingest the odorless, colorless, and tasteless anthrax bacteria when they consume contaminated grass and hay or by inhaling the spores. Outbreaks usually end when cooler weather arrives.
After exposure to anthrax, it typically takes three to seven days for animals to show clinical signs. Once symptoms begin, death usually occurs within 48 hours. Acute fever followed by rapid death with bloody discharge from body openings are signs of anthrax in livestock. If a noticeable amount of deer or exotic wildlife are found dead, and carcasses show bleeding characteristic of anthrax, remove livestock from access to carcasses immediately