From an MMWR article on the CDC website about several cases of
gastrointestinal anthrax in Minnesota in 2000 (from eating meat from a cow
that died of anthrax):

"Anthrax is a zoonotic disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium B.
anthracis. Human disease usually occurs through cutaneous exposure to
infected animal tissue or products. Rarely, inhalation or ingestion of B.
anthracis spores also leads to anthrax. In the United States during the
early part of the 20th century, approximately 130 human cases occurred
annually (1); two cutaneous infections have been reported since 1992.

Before this exposure, no animal anthrax cases had been reported in northern
Minnesota since recordkeeping began in 1909. However, in adjacent areas of
North Dakota during 2000, 120--150 cattle have died of anthrax (L. Schuler,
North Dakota state veterinarian, personal communication, 2000), and 11 farms
have reported anthrax-related cattle deaths in nearby Manitoba, Canada
(Figure 1) (J.G. Spearman, Manitoba Department of Agriculture, personal
communication, 2000)."

Kathy Dettwyler



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