Anthrax explodes in an Australian summer

Anthrax occurred on 83 properties in an area of north central Victoria betw een 26 January; and 26 March in the summer of 1997. Anthrax had not been re corded in the outbreak area since records were initiated in 1914, although anthrax did occur in the general area in the 1880s to 1890s. Standard Austr alian control measures were applied to the properties, including quarantine , tracing movements of animals on and off affected properties, secure dispo sal of carcases by burning, enhanced surveillance of stock generally in the area and the use of local disaster control procedures including an alert o f health authorities. Bs affected property numbers began to increase dramat ically from 8 February, it was decided to use blanket area vaccination to c ontrol the disease. By 26 February, the epidemic curve had returned to the base line and a buffer vaccination zone of 457 farms holding 78,649 cattle was formed by early March 1997. Between 26 January and 26 March when the ou tbreak was declared over, 202 cattle and 4 sheep were confirmed to have die d of anthrax. Between 27 March and early November a further 26 cattle were confirmed as dying due to anthrax and 14 of these had not had previous vacc ination, including foul young calves and one horse. One new property within the vaccination buffer zone had an anthrax case in a cow in early November 1997. By mid-November 1997, all previously infected and all neighbouring p roperties within 1 km were compulsorily re-vaccinated, as were all calves w hen two months of age and all introduced cattle. In 1998, only two confirme d cases of anthrax were diagnosed; both mere vaccinated calves on farms whi ch had had multiple cases during the outbreak. The public reaction and atte ntion fuelled by unprecedented media attention led to intense international scrutiny from countries where anthrax is a particular zoonotic problem. Ve ry; strong representations had to be made about the safety of livestock and livestock products that came from Victoria. This event has demonstrated th at there is a need to review OIE and other requirements and recommendations covering anthrax where strict restrictions ale placed on livestock and liv estock-products to protect livestock and human populations against anthrax infection.