As pet owners
have become aware that anthrax is primarily an animal disease, concern
has emerged regarding the risk of exposure to anthrax in veterinary clinics.
To allay these
fears, the American Veterinary Medical Association has prepared the attached
fact sheet on anthrax to provide the public with reliable information and
to help calm fears that have become commonplace after recent anthrax exposures.
Regularly updated
information also may be accessed on the association's Web site at www.avma.org.
Although anthrax
as an animal disease has a worldwide distribution, the incidence of the
disease in animals is extremely low in the United States. Animal species
most susceptible to the disease include cattle, sheep, and goats.
Veterinarians
who practice in areas of the country where anthrax occurs naturally may
occasionally treat anthrax patients, but risk of exposure to anthrax in
veterinary clinics and hospitals is currently so low as to be a nonissue.
Veterinarians
are, however, an important line of defense in preventing anthrax in animal
populations and, as part of that effort, veterinarians do have access to
animal anthrax vaccines to protect their patients.
"Veterinarians
may vaccinate certain livestock to prevent anthrax but it would be in areas
of the country where anthrax is endemic, such as in the Southwest and Midwest,"
said Lisa Conti, DVM, MPH, Florida State Public Health Veterinarian.
"Companion animal
practitioners usually do not have the vaccine in their clinics because
the disease is almost never seen in their patients," explained Dr. Conti.
"It is important to understand that the strain used to produce the animal
anthrax vaccine is 'nonvirulent.' It will not cause disease." Dr. Conti
also emphasized that this vaccine is intended only for use in animals,
not humans.
Anthrax organisms,
used in research facilities to develop and test vaccines and other protective
measures, are tightly regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture,
and are stored in areas with stringent biosecurity.
Because of their
expertise, public health veterinarians were recently called upon to determine
whether anthrax organisms responsible for the human death in southern Florida
were from a strain that might occur naturally in that area.
"In bioterrorism,
'first response' teams may include veterinarians and other medical professionals
in addition to more traditional 'first responders' such as local law enforcement,
FBI, fire, and emergency services," said Leslie Tengelsen, PhD, DVM. Dr.
Tengelsen, Idaho's deputy state epidemiologist, teaches veterinarians how
to work with public health officials and how to prepare for incidents of
bioterrorism.
Many potential
agents of bioterrorism are zoonotic (transmissible between animals and
humans). Veterinarians are trained to recognize the signs of disease caused
by those agents in animals and humans. For this reason, their immediate
involvement in detective efforts is critical.
"Veterinary
reports become vital because rapid detection can lead to rapid resolution,"
Tengelsen said. "Conversely, a delay in reporting can give way to unmentionable
devastation."
"Other health
professionals rely on veterinary expertise in the areas of zoonotic disease,
herd health management (maintaining the health of large populations), effective
medical treatment, and preventive medicine," explained Dr. Michael Auslander,
DVM, MSPH, Kentucky Public Health Veterinarian.
"For example,
physicians rarely see diseases such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. When
they do, they may try to treat the infection with a variety of antibiotics
before prescribing tetracycline, which is the preferred treatment," said
Dr. Auslander. Dr. Auslander noted that nearly 73% of new and emerging
diseases are zoonotic, whereas only 49% of other infectious diseases are
zoonotic.
Veterinarians
also serve as watchdogs for diseases that may be brought in from foreign
countries, such as foot-and-mouth disease.
"Although foot-and-mouth
disease does not directly affect humans, it does present serious risks
for U.S. livestock," explained Dr. Auslander.
A sophisticated
surveillance and reporting system has strengthened ties between public
health and veterinary professionals and has facilitated information gathering
and sharing with nontraditional sources and recipients, such as 911, Dial-a-Nurse,
pharmacies, humane societies, and universities.
In addition
to anthrax organisms, veterinarians can assist in tracking potential agents
of bioterrorism that cause plague, tularemia, Q fever, and brucellosis.
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Information Provided By
The AVMA
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