Anthrax Risk: Word from North Dakota

ANTHRAX RISK, 2009 - USA, CANADA
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A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: 11 May 2009
Source: KFYR-TV News Stories [edited]



Vet says ND cattle losses pegged at more than 80 000
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A North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension Service veterinarian says
about 80 000 cattle [are] likely [to] have been lost to a harsh winter and
spring flooding. NDSU Extension veterinarian Charlie Stoltenow says it will
take time to tally the numbers and for cattle herds to recover.

Stoltenow says the threat of anthrax among livestock also is an issue. He
says flood waters helped distribute anthrax spores to new areas of the state.

--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail rapporteur Susan Baekeland

[Welcome to Louisiana after Katrina and Rita! It is going to be rough for
the North Dakotan ranchers to get their herds back up to their previous
stocking numbers. As for the anthrax risk this has been in the books since
the winter flooding of the eastern half of the state, adjoining NW
Minnesota and SE Manitoba. Charlie Stoltenow has already initiated some
regional activities in collaboration with the adjoining states and
provinces. This is to have unified anthrax recommendations for preventive
vaccination, monitoring and surveillance, sample collection, vaccination
during an anthrax outbreak, quarantine, and carcass disposal. In all
something for which we (plural) have been collectively striving for some
time. In parallel the US Navy has generously provided free ELISA field
testing kits to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA Canada) and the
border prairie states; CFIA has theirs already, Montana got hers last week
and the rest will get theirs as soon as they can be packed and sent off. 1
square kilometer niche prediction maps of the region are in hand. It is
going to be an interesting summer and I am sure we will all learn much by
it. Charlie Stoltenow and Wayne Lees are to be congratulated for turning
talk into action. - Mod.MHJ]

[see also:
2008
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Anthrax, bovine - USA (02): (ND) 20080626.1968
2007
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Anthrax, bovine - USA (ND) 20070731.2459
2006
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Anthrax, bovine - USA (ND) (02) 20060627.1784
Anthrax, bovine - USA (ND) 20060626.1775
2005
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Anthrax, bovine - USA (ND)(04) 20050804.2267
Anthrax, bovine - USA (ND)(03) 20050728.2198
Anthrax, bovine - USA (ND) (02) 20050718.2067
Anthrax, bovine - USA (ND) 20050709.1947]

....................mhj/ejp/sh