frenchie
Well-known member
Area vet
contracts anthrax
By Ann Harvey
YTW Staff Writer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Veterinarian Dr. Kenn Wood is the first person to contract anthrax in the Yorkton-Melville area.
In a phone interview Thursday, Aug. 10, Wood, who works out of Ebenezer, a community just off Highway 9, 16 kilometres north of Yorkton, said he has contracted cutaneous anthrax. He was exposed on the job while working on what he called "a holocaust" in area cattle herds
"I had a little tiny wound on my leg. I think it was from a stinging nettle or maybe it was an insect bite or a thistle. I think what happened is I had some spores on my hand and I was scratching.
"I wasn't even thinking about it."
On Saturday night when he noticed it first, it was a tiny red dot on a site above where his boot ended. It grew to about 1.5 inches in diameter.
"On Monday this black spot appears in the middle of it," he said. The veterinarian was alerted because a black spot and the fact the weeping sore is painless are characteristic of cutaneous anthrax.
His physician has prescribed a month's worth the antibiotic, ciprofloxin, and will re-evaluate after that is completed.
Wood is continuing to function normally, he said. "It's not getting any worse."
He's not too worried. "I'm a big healthy guy."
Wood said there is also no concern about transmitting it to his family. "It's not like a flu virus.
"Anthrax is not highly infectious."
Anthrax is caused by bacteria in the soil. This particular bacillus encysts to form spores.
"The spores are what sort of lives forever in the soil and are a source of infection for future cases."
This area has not had any history of anthrax infections, Wood said. "It typically occurs in hot, humid countries. It's not usual in North America."
This year a of hot, humid weather and extreme moisture disturbed the soil and water courses, he said. "These spores that are killing cattle now could have killed bison 200 years ago."
Wood said it is causing a huge problem and keeping him extremely busy. "For people who have had it in their herds, it's been a real holocaust.
"One fellow in Sheho lost 17 cattle."
He cautioned ranchers to cover an wounds and wear gloves when handling infected cattle or carcasses
contracts anthrax
By Ann Harvey
YTW Staff Writer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Veterinarian Dr. Kenn Wood is the first person to contract anthrax in the Yorkton-Melville area.
In a phone interview Thursday, Aug. 10, Wood, who works out of Ebenezer, a community just off Highway 9, 16 kilometres north of Yorkton, said he has contracted cutaneous anthrax. He was exposed on the job while working on what he called "a holocaust" in area cattle herds
"I had a little tiny wound on my leg. I think it was from a stinging nettle or maybe it was an insect bite or a thistle. I think what happened is I had some spores on my hand and I was scratching.
"I wasn't even thinking about it."
On Saturday night when he noticed it first, it was a tiny red dot on a site above where his boot ended. It grew to about 1.5 inches in diameter.
"On Monday this black spot appears in the middle of it," he said. The veterinarian was alerted because a black spot and the fact the weeping sore is painless are characteristic of cutaneous anthrax.
His physician has prescribed a month's worth the antibiotic, ciprofloxin, and will re-evaluate after that is completed.
Wood is continuing to function normally, he said. "It's not getting any worse."
He's not too worried. "I'm a big healthy guy."
Wood said there is also no concern about transmitting it to his family. "It's not like a flu virus.
"Anthrax is not highly infectious."
Anthrax is caused by bacteria in the soil. This particular bacillus encysts to form spores.
"The spores are what sort of lives forever in the soil and are a source of infection for future cases."
This area has not had any history of anthrax infections, Wood said. "It typically occurs in hot, humid countries. It's not usual in North America."
This year a of hot, humid weather and extreme moisture disturbed the soil and water courses, he said. "These spores that are killing cattle now could have killed bison 200 years ago."
Wood said it is causing a huge problem and keeping him extremely busy. "For people who have had it in their herds, it's been a real holocaust.
"One fellow in Sheho lost 17 cattle."
He cautioned ranchers to cover an wounds and wear gloves when handling infected cattle or carcasses
