Siberian plague outbreak was recorded in the Zardob region of Azerbaijan, according to a report on the website of the World Animal Health Organization (OIE).

An immediate notification to the OIE about the detection of the disease came from the Animal Health Department of Azerbaijan on July 17, 2020. It is specified that the Siberian plague outbreak was recorded in a farm with 1000 head of sheep and 87 head of cattle. "The farmer has his own pasture. Sheep and cattle are grazing on the common pasture. All susceptible animals were vaccinated, "said Dr. Ghalib Abdulaliyev, head of the CVO Department of Animal Health of Azerbaijan, in a statement. It is reported that four sheep and one cow were killed.

Presumably, transportation devices or feed with Siberian plague bacilli were the source of the infection.

It is worth noting that in the Republic of Dagestan (Russia) bordering Azerbaijan, the Siberian plague outbreak in cattle was recorded in October 2019 (data from the Veterinary Center of the Ministry of Agriculture). In 2020, there were no outbreaks of this infection in Russia.

Every year, cattle, camels, deer, horses, donkeys, pigs, sheep, goats and fur animals are vaccinated against the Siberian plague in Russian Federation.

Reference:

Siberian plague is a highly infectious zoonotic disease and common to animals and humans. The infectious agent is the Gram-positive Bacillus anthracis rod, its spores are resistant to high temperature and drying and can persist in the soil for a long time.

From 2009 to 2018, 2.8 thousand cases of Siberian plague among farm livestock were registered in Russia, the All-Russian State Center for the Quality and Standardization of Medicines for Animals and Feed (FSBI VGNKI), subordinated to the Russia VPSS, told “ViZh”.

According to the FKUZ Stavropol Research Anti-Plague Institute, from 2009 to 2018, 23 outbreaks of the Siberian plague among people were recorded in Russia. 90 people fell ill, three people died.

Source: meatinfo