NewsDesk @bactiman63

The Croatia Ministry of Agriculture reports on July 13, they received a notification about the death of cattle in the area of ​​the “Lonjsko Polje” Nature Park.

Agricultural Research Service/USDA

A large number of animals died in the area of ​​the “Lonjsko Polje” nature park of the Osekovo pasture and that the deaths were preceded by the appearance of neurological clinical signs, the Ministry of Agriculture said.

The autopsy of dead animals and the laboratory analysis of samples from dead animals were carried out by the Croatian Veterinary Institute in Zagreb. On July 16, 2022, the Ministry of Agriculture received from the Croatian Veterinary Institute the results of the necropsy as well as the results of the laboratory tests that confirmed anthrax.

In the joint coordination of the Ministry of Agriculture and the State Inspectorate of the Republic of Croatia, further activities and measures are being implemented in the Osekovo pasture area, in the “Lonjsko Polje” Nature Park, with the aim of preventing the spread and suppression of infectious diseases.

Anthrax is a very serious disease of livestock because it can potentially cause the rapid loss of a large number of animals in a very short time. Affected animals are often found dead with no illness detected.

When conditions become favorable, the spores germinate into colonies of bacteria. An example would be a grazing cow ingests spores that in the cow, germinate, grow spread and eventually kill the animal. Anthrax is caused by the bacterium, Bacillus anthracis. This spore forming bacteria can survive in the environment for decades because of its ability to resist heat, cold, drying, etc. This is usually the infectious stage of anthrax.

There are no reports of person-to-person transmission of anthrax. People get anthrax by handling contaminated animal or animal products, consuming undercooked meat of infected animals and more recently, intentional release of spores.