Transboundary Emerging and Exotic Animal Disease/ Exotic Animal Disease Practice Exam

How is anthrax most commonly diagnosed in cattle?

1. It is rare; symptoms appear after large doses

2. Acute lameness, depression, and swelling

3. As a peracute disease via spores leading to sudden death

4. Cutaneous lesions predominantly

The correct answer is: As a peracute disease via spores leading to sudden death

Anthrax is most commonly diagnosed in cattle as a peracute disease, which means that it can present very rapidly with severe symptoms and often leads to sudden death. This characteristic is largely due to the ability of the Bacillus anthracis spores to enter the host, germinate, and multiply quickly, overwhelming the animal’s defenses. The peracute nature of anthrax is especially significant because symptoms may not always be evident until the disease has progressed to a critical point. It can cause the sudden death of livestock with little to no prior warning. This is why an understanding of the disease’s rapid progression is crucial for diagnosis, especially in areas where anthrax is endemic. While other options or symptoms may present in various contexts or other diseases, the striking feature of anthrax's impact in cattle is its quick onset and lethal outcome, making option C the most representative of how the disease typically manifests in cattle. In contrast, clinical signs such as lameness, depression, or swelling might be indicative of other conditions and not specifically characteristic of anthrax, which helps to clarify why other choices do not align as closely with the common diagnostic approach for this disease.