Case-control study investigating an anthrax outbreak in Saskatchewan, Canada--Summer 2006.
In 2006, an outbreak of anthrax in Saskatchewan affected several species but most of the losses occurred in cattle. Potential risk factors contributing to this outbreak were investigated through questionnaires involving 117 case farms and 259 control farms geographically representative of the Saskatchewan beef herd. The occurrence of flooding [odds ratio (OR) = 3.4; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.8 to 6.4], wetter pastures (Good: OR = 3.5; 95% CI: 1.4 to 8.5; Wet: OR = 7.2; 95% CI: 2.9 to 18.1), shorter pasture grass length (OR = 3.0; 95% CI: 1.4 to 6.4), and higher density of the animals on pasture (OR = 3.0; 95% CI: 1.6 to 5.7) were more likely to have been reported for case herds than for control herds. Case farms were more likely than control farms to have vaccinated more than 1 week after the first reported case in the rural municipality (OR = 6.3; 95% CI: 2.6 to 15.3). Timing of vaccination in case herds was also significantly associated with the occurrence of subsequent deaths on these farms (P = 0.001).
Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. tasha.epp@usask.ca
Tasha
T
Epp
Cheryl
C
Waldner
Connie K
CK
Argue
D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D000881:Anthrax / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000662:veterinary*; D022122:Anthrax Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D055868:Floods; D008297:Male; D006109:Poaceae; D012307:Risk Factors; D012525:Saskatchewan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D022122:Anthrax Vaccines