Farm Animals

Anthrax is a naturally occurring disease of animals caused by a type of bacteria called Bacillus anthracis. People and animals can get anthrax when they accidentally breathe in or swallow spores in contaminated soil, food, or water. The greatest risk is from contact with bodily fluids of an animal that has, or has recently died, from anthrax. Anthrax can also get into open wounds. People who live in areas where anthrax has occurred should consider vaccinating their livestock against the disease.

Anthrax is a serious but rare disease in the United States. The symptoms of anthrax depend on the way someone becomes infected and can take anywhere from 1 day to more than 2 months to appear. All types of anthrax have the potential, if untreated, to spread throughout the body and cause severe illness and even death.

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Campylobacter is shed in the stool of infected animals. It is spread to people through contaminated food, water, or direct contact with contaminated stool. Many animals, including farm animals, may carry the bacteria without looking sick.

Most people who become sick with campylobacteriosis will have diarrhea, cramping, abdominal pain, and fever within 2-5 days after exposure to the bacteria. Campylobacter can cause serious life-threatening infections in infants, the elderly, and those with weak immune systems.

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Cryptosporidium is a parasitic disease that is transmitted through contaminated food or water from an infected human or animal, particularly their contaminated stool. The risk is greatest from contact with young calves, especially calves with diarrhea; however, infected animals may appear healthy or have only mild diarrhea.

In people,Cryptosporidium can cause profuse, watery diarrhea with cramping, abdominal pain, and nausea. Illness in people usually gets better on its own and lasts only 2-4 days. Cryptosporidium can become severe in people with weakened immune systems.

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Influenza is a viral disease that can infect people, pets, and wildlife. Aquatic birds, including ducks, as well as pigs can have influenza virus in their respiratory and intestinal tracts. Birds affected with the influenza virus can appear healthy or only show mild signs of illness (for example, ruffled feathers or decreased egg production). Pigs infected with influenza may be coughing, sneezing, have difficulty breathing, discharge from their nose or eyes, or have no signs of illness at all.

It is rare for bird or swine influenza to spread to people, but occasionally, variants of the virus do infect people. People who work closely with large numbers of birds and pigs, such as poultry or pig producers, are more at risk of infection. People who become sick with variants of bird or swine flu may have fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and body aches and feel tired. Illness in affected people can range from mild to very severe and life threatening.

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Listeria monocytogenes is a type of bacteria that is spread to people and animals through contaminated food, soil, or water. Farm animals that are at risk for Listeria infection include sheep, cattle, goats, and occasionally pigs. Infected animals can have a variety of signs including drooping ears or lips that hang open. Animals sometimes become disoriented and press themselves into corners. Listeria can also cause reproductive problems including abortions and can lead to death of the infected animal.

Listeria is spread to people most commonly through contaminated food. Some people who are affected may not have any signs at all, but the disease can cause headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions in addition to fever and muscle aches. Listeria infections during pregnancy can be life threatening for the fetus.

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Coxiella burnetii is a type of bacteria that can cause Q fever in animals and humans. Cattle, sheep, and goats are the animals most commonly affected. C. burnetii is spread through drinking contaminated milk, breathing in dust that is contaminated with C. burnetii, or by coming into contact with contaminated urine, feces, or the birthing tissues of infected animals. Contact with sheep and goats around the time they give birth creates the greatest risk for people to become infected.

People who work closely with farm animals are most at risk. Symptoms of disease usually develop 2-3 weeks after exposure and range from flu-like symptoms to more severe symptoms. In untreated, the infection can lead to pneumonia, liver disease, and heart disease.

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Ringworm is a condition caused by a fungus that can infect skin, hair, and nails of both people and animals. Ringworm is spread from animals to people through direct contact with an infected animal’s skin or hair. Cows, sheep, goats, and pigs can have ringworm on their skin. Affected animals typically have small areas of hair loss around their ears, face or legs with scaly or crusty skin. Some animals carrying ringworm will not have any signs of infection at all.

Ringworm infections in people can appear on almost any area of the body. These infections are usually itchy. Redness, scaling, cracking of the skin, or a ring-shaped rash may occur. If the infection involves the scalp or beard, hair may fall out. Infected nails become discolored or thick and may possibly crumble.

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Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex is a group of bacteria that cause a disease called tuberculosis. A variety of animals including cattle, goats, and deer can carry tuberculosis bacteria. Infected animals can have a variety of symptoms including weakness, lack of appetite, weight loss, and fever, or they may have a cough that lasts a long time. Some animals might show no symptoms at all.

People are most likely become infected if they consume unpasteurized (raw) milk or milk products (such as cheese) from infected animals. Infections can also happen by consuming undercooked meat, accidentally breathing in the bacteria, or through the skin via cuts or scrapes. Depending on the route of infection, people may have sores, swollen lymph nodes, difficulty breathing, weight loss, night sweats, fever, or intestinal upset.