The emergence of strange new diseases is a frightening problem that seems to be getting worse. In this age of speedy travel, it threatens a worldwide pandemic. We hear news reports of Ebola, SARS, AIDS, and something called Hendra killing horses and people in Australia?but those reports miss the big truth that such phenomena are part of a single pattern. The bugs that transmit these diseases sh…
Anthrax has not been diagnosed in SA for many years, but the risk of an outbreak is heightened with occasional detections in NSW and Victoria as well as isolated outbreaks in WA and Queensland. Anthrax is caused by a bacterium that affects many species including cattle, sheep, goats and humans. The bacterium produces spores when exposed to air that persist in soil for many years. The disease is…