Anthrax confirmed in Texas Steer

On December 31, 2025, officials with the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) received confirmation that a steer in Briscoe County had anthrax. Located 5 miles north of Silverton, Texas, the premises where the steer lives, has been quarantined and will remain until proper disposal of affected carcasses on the premises.

Anthrax is a bacterial disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, which is a naturally occurring organism with worldwide distribution, including certain parts of Texas. In Texas, anthrax cases are most often found in a triangular area bound by the towns of Eagle Pass, Ozona, and Uvalde, but it has been confirmed in Briscoe County in 2020 and 2023. Anthrax has also been confirmed in other locations in the Texas panhandle.

Commonly, Anthrax cases often increase after periods of wet, cool weather that are followed by hot, dry conditions. Animals then ingest the colorless, odorless, and tasteless anthrax bacteria when they ingest contained grass or hay or inhaled the spores. When there is an outbreak, it usually ends when cooler weather arrives.

“Zoonotic diseases like anthrax pose a risk to both animal and human health,” said Lewis R. “Bud” Dinges, DVM, TAHC state veterinarian and executive director, in an organizational release.¹ “This case serves as a reminder to monitor and vaccinate susceptible animals, reduce human exposure, and consult a veterinary practitioner if you suspect your animals are exposed.”

According to TAHC, when an animal is exposed to anthrax, it takes about 3-7 days for them to present with the clinical signs, and death usually occurs 48 hours after symptoms begin.¹ Symptoms in livestock can include acute fever followed by rapid death with body discharge from body openings. If there is a noticeable number of deer or exotic wildlife found dead in your area, TAHC urges livestock be removed from access to the carcasses immediately.

It can be difficult to diagnose anthrax based on only clinical signs and confirmatory laboratory tested should be attempted if it is suspected. The vegetative cell is not robust and will not survive 3 days in transit, so the best way to test is collecting a sample from a cotton swab dipped in blood and allowed to dry.² By doing it in this manner, the results in sporulation and death of other bacteria and contamination. If a carcass is >3 days, nasal turbinate should be swabbed or turbinate samples be removed.²

TAHC is encouraging producers to follow basic sanitations precautions when handling any affected livestock or carcasses. Producers should wear protective gloves, long sleeve shirts, and wash thoroughly when finished to prevent accidental spread of the bacteria to humans. Anyone who needs more information on how anthrax affects humans can check out the Texas Department of State Health Services website.

Reference

1. Anthrax confirmed in a Briscoe County Steer. News release. Texas Animal Health Commission. January 6, 2026. Accessed January 9, 2026. https://www.tahc.texas.gov/news/2026/2026-01-06_Anthrax_Briscoe.pdf?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAEe5dicCnIpaEDeV-sLvmD-cXa7Li1K22SuZjK7mAGfEIl_ClI8GCGKUZb3Ec0_aem_0Jvb-TXq28uUn2_gYOAqrA
2. Galante D. Anthrax in Animals. Merck Veterinary Manual. Published July 11, 2022. Accessed January 9, 2026. https://www.merckvetmanual.com/infectious-diseases/anthrax/anthrax-in-animals