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Infected Cattle In Tri-State Could Spread Disease To Humans
While relatively new, it is shown up more and more in cattle across the Tri-State spread by ticks and biting flies, among other things. Thanks to our warm winter this could be a banner year for such bugs. As Local 12's Rich Jaffe reports, that could mean problems for people as well.
The bacterial blood disease is spread from infected cattle ticks, horseflies or inoculation needles that aren't sterilized and used from cow to cow. Many farmers lose cattle due to the disease and never realize it. "When you find them a lot of times they're like a drunk, they can't stand, the back end's really wobbly. A lot of times it happens very quickly, one case I know 8 o'clock on a Thursday morning, cow had a calf by her side, 8 days old, that night she was acting weird, the next morning she was dead."
Ticks can also spread anaplasmosis to humans. It's similar to lyme disease and rocky mountain spotted fever. Experts say 50 percent of the human cases end up hospitalized and it can be fatal. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the disease has been steadily increasing in the monitored states-Ohio is not one of those states monitored yet. "Could become a big deal. We've seen a few cases, Adams, Brown, Highland county in the last few years, I saw a case in 2010, I know that there are 6 or 7 confirmed cases. At least one in all three counties in 2011."
Earlier this week Dave Dugan held an informational meeting for concerned farmers and ranchers...so did Caleb Grooms. "We're hoping that we can stay in front of this. Like I said and get the right medications and things on these farms so it won't be an issue but it's something that with record high cattle prices it's another stumbling block that we're facing, we're finally getting to the point they're making a little money with cattle and now we have this."
Infected cattle pose another threat as well. "When they become anemic they're not getting enough oxygen and they will become very aggressive at the end, they may try and attack just before they die. An animal that's been very docile will just kind of go crazy."
Experts say humans need to take all the usual precautions to prevent tick bites, especially during the peak months of June and July. Anaplasmosis in both cattle and humans can be treated with massive doses of antibiotics if caught early. For more information, click here.
