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Cause of splenic fever outbreak in Sweden unclear

Xinhua, July 29, 2016 Adjust font size:

An outbreak of splenic fever at a farm in Sweden has mystified local farmers and authorities.

Over the past two weeks, a total of nine animals have died at the Omberg farm in southeastern Sweden after being infected with splenic fever, a serious bacterial infection also known as anthrax. The latest animal to succumb was a horse. However, the cause of the outbreak is still unknown.

"It's a pretty pressured situation, especially for the animal owners," said Catrin Molander, chief of staff at the Swedish Board of Agriculture. She added: "It's not easy seeing your animals and your business being hit by this."

Cattle at the affected and surrounding farms have been vaccinated in order to prevent the disease from spreading further.

Since the disease can be transferred from animals to humans, individuals who have been in direct contact with the contaminated animals have been in touch with communicable disease control specialists and have received antibiotics as a preventative measure.

Members of the public have been warned to stay away from the area, but according to the Swedish Board of Agriculture, it is not dangerous to eat meat from healthy animals, or other produce, from the area.

Local authorities are still trying to locate the source of the disease. "It is probably a grave with contaminated animals that has been dug up, but we do not know for sure," county veterinarian Helen Loor previously told a local TV station.

The incident at the Omberg farm, which lies near a nature reserve with rambling paths, is the first recorded case of the disease in Sweden since 2013. It was discovered when test results from the Swedish National Veterinary Institute showed that three cows had died from splenic fever.

Humans are generally resistant to splenic fever, whereas cattle, sheep, horses, mules and some wild animals are highly susceptible.

The incident at Omberg is the fourth outbreak of splenic fever among cattle in Sweden since 2008. The last case, in 2013, was at a farm in Orebro, south Sweden. However, no human has been infected with the disease in Sweden since 1965. Endit