TY - JOUR AU - Sidwa, Tom AU - Salzer, Johanna AU - Traxler, Rita AU - Swaney, Erin AU - Sims, Marcus AU - Bradshaw, Pam AU - O’Sullivan, Briana AU - Parker, Kathy AU - Waldrup, Kenneth AU - Bower, William AU - Hendricks, Kate T1 - Control and Prevention of Anthrax, Texas, USA, 2019 T2 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal PY - 2020 VL - 26 IS - 12 SP - 2815 SN - 1080-6059 AB - The zoonotic disease anthrax is endemic to most continents. It is a disease of herbivores that incidentally infects humans through contact with animals that are ill or have died from anthrax or through contact with Bacillus anthracis–contaminated byproducts. In the United States, human risk is primarily associated with handling carcasses of hoofstock that have died of anthrax; the primary risk for herbivores is ingestion of B. anthracis spores, which can persist in suitable alkaline soils in a corridor from Texas through Montana. The last known naturally occurring human case of cutaneous anthrax associated with livestock exposure in the United States was reported from South Dakota in 2002. Texas experienced an increase of animal cases in 2019 and consequently higher than usual human risk. We describe the animal outbreak that occurred in southwest Texas beginning in June 2019 and an associated human case. Primary prevention in humans is achieved through control of animal anthrax. KW - anthrax KW - treatment KW - prophylaxis KW - prevention KW - vaccination KW - infection control KW - zoonoses KW - vaccine-preventable diseases KW - Texas KW - bacteria KW - Bacillus anthracis DO - 10.3201/eid2612.200470 UR - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/12/20-0470_article ER - End of Reference