Wildlife Disease News Digest

First Cattle Anthrax Cases Reported in North Dakota...
30 Jul 2007
Associated Press (posted by KXnet.com North Dakota News Network)
Area: Traill County, North Dakota, USA

A cow in Traill County has tested positive for anthrax. State Veterinarian Susan Keller says it's the first case of anthrax in the state this year. Keller says the Traill County herd consisted were the cow was found had about 18 animals. She says the herd has been quarantined and vaccinated. Keller says anthrax usually appears in very wet or very dry conditions, when dormant bacteria spores in the soil are disturbed. Animals that consume the spores are exposed to the disease.

France Finds H5N1 in More Swans
Queensland Newspapers - news.com.au
31 Jul 2007
Area: Moselle Region, France

TWO wild swans found dead in northeastern France at the weekend were carrying the H5N1 bird flu virus, the local veterinary service said today, the second outbreak of the disease in the area this month.

The two birds were discovered dead yesterday in the Moselle region of France. Subsequent tests showed they were carrying the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus, Sylvain Rigaux, head of Moselle's animal safety and protection agency, said. Three swans were killed by the H5N1 strain in Moselle at the start of July - the first such outbreak in France in more than a year.

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Ebola-like Virus Hits Kamwenge
The New Vision
31 Jul 2007
F Ouma
Area: Kakasi Forest Reserve, Kamwenge district, Uganda

TWO suspected cases of Marburg haemorrhagic fever, a virus similar to Ebola, have been reported in western Uganda, according to the Ministry of health. “The Ministry of Health would like to inform the general public that two suspected cases of Marburg haemorrhagic fever have been reported, of whom one has died,” a press release by the director general of health services, Dr. Sam Zaramba, said.

“Both cases were mine workers in Kitaka mine, located in Kakasi Forest Reserve in Kamwenge district.” . . . “The first test was positive. . . . “But it is most probably the Marburg virus. We thought we should send out this information early enough.”

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Elderly Woman Dies of Rare Animal Disease
AdelaideNow - news.com.au
30 Jul 2007
Area: Riverland Town, Waikerie, Australia

An elderly woman in the South Australian Riverland has died after contracting a rare fever originating from animals.

The South Australian Health Department today confirmed the death but said the 76-year-old woman had also had underlying health issues. She was one of five people from the Riverland town of Waikerie to contract Q fever over the past few months, the outbreak linked to a local goat abattoir.

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