What to know
- Presentation Day/Time: Friday, April 25, 10:55 am–12:20 pm
- Presenter: Brittney Waranius, DVM, MPH, MA, EIS officer assigned to the Wyoming Department of Health
What did we do?
- In August 2024, the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) was notified of human exposures after an anthrax outbreak in cattle. We investigated to identify exposed people and recommend postexposure prophylaxis (PEP).
What did we find?
- Of 23 people interviewed, we identified three cutaneous, six inhalation, and four cutaneous plus inhalation exposures, resulting in 13 people exposed.
- Eleven people were within the incubation period from their exposure date and began antibiotic treatment ≤48 hours after WDH notification.
- Six people with inhalation exposure accepted Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed, Adjuvanted (AVAA) PEP.
- Laboratory samples from eight people reporting inhalation exposure and one person reporting cutaneous and inhalation symptoms were negative for evidence of anthrax infection.
Why does it matter?
- Anthrax was last reported in Wyoming livestock in the 1970s. This event reminds veterinarians and healthcare providers that anthrax can be a risk in Wyoming and that rapid PEP initiation is crucial for preventing severe illness and death.
Abstract Category: Anthrax