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Journal
Publications
Dragon D.C., and Elkin B.T. 2001 An
Overview of Early Anthrax Outbreaks in Northern Canada: Field Reports of the
Health of Animals Branch, Agriculture Canada, 1962–71. Arctic. 54: 32–40
(PDF =
76
KB)
Abstract:
Between 1962 and 1971, six outbreaks of
anthrax occurred in the bison herds of the Northwest Territories and
northern Alberta. In response, the federal Health of Animals Branch
dispatched staff veterinarians to oversee carcass disposal operations and
later to take part in bison depopulation and vaccination programs. Recently,
a collection of documents from that agency concerning the outbreaks was
discovered in the federal archives. The collection includes field reports
from the veterinarians that provide valuable, detailed, first-person
accounts of the outbreaks and later programs, information which has
generally been lacking in the published literature. The reports identify at
least 1102 bison that died of anthrax during the six outbreaks, dozens more
than reported previously. They also indicate that the disease spread into
Wood Buffalo National Park in 1963, rather than in 1964, as reported
previously. A minimum of 598 healthy bison were also killed in depopulation
programs aimed at preventing the spread of anthrax into the Park, even
though anthrax carcasses had already been discovered within the Park and the
targeted regions would be repopulated within weeks. Coverage and
revaccination rates were low throughout the vaccination program, and a
further 828 bison died during the vaccine roundups. |
