Human Ingestion of Bacillus Anthracis-Contaminated Meat -- Minnesota, Aug 2000
Abstract
Anthrax is a zoonotic disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium B. anthracis. Human disease usually occurs through cutaneous exposure to infected animal tissue or products. Rarely, inhalation or ingestion of B. anthracis spores also leads to anthrax. In the United States during the early part of the 20th century, approximately 130 human cases occurred annually (1); two cutaneous infections have been reported since 1992. Before this exposure, no animal anthrax cases had been reported in northern Minnesota since recordkeeping began in 1909. However, in adjacent areas of North Dakota during 2000, 120--150 cattle have died of anthrax (L. Schuler, North Dakota state veterinarian, personal communication, 2000), and 11 farms have reported anthrax-related cattle deaths in nearby Manitoba, Canada (figure 1) (J.G. Spearman, Manitoba Department of Agriculture, personal communication, 2000). Gastrointestinal anthrax in humans occurs 1--7 days after eating raw or undercooked meat from infected animals (2), and two forms of gastrointestinal disease have been reported (3). Disease affecting the distal gastrointestinal tract results in nausea, anorexia, and fever followed by abdominal pain and bloody stool. The case fatality rate among reported cases ranges from 25%--60% (2). Gastrointestinal anthrax never has been documented in the United States because livestock are vaccinated for anthrax in areas where the disease is endemic; animals routinely are inspected by federal and state meat inspectors before, during, and after slaughter; and raw meat is eaten infrequently. Anthrax has not been documented among the persons exposed to B. anthracis- contaminated meat described in this report; however, a serologic test to determine presence of infection is pending.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 15, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA395885
Entities
Organizations
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention