Current situation with anthrax in Russian Federation

Anthrax is a zoonotic disease classified as a highly hazardous infection.

Until the mid-20th century, the capabilities of regulatory services were insufficient to prevent the emergence of new infection hotspots. Each year, mass livestock die-offs and human cases of this disease were recorded.

Public unawareness of the disease’s causes and the lack of proper disposal methods for deceased animals led to widespread soil contamination with anthrax spores across extensive territories of Russia, particularly in southern regions. The disposal of infected cattle and other animals involved the creation of burial sites. In practice, however, these often turned into “murrain fields,” where animal remains lay exposed. Only in the 1950s was there a shift toward ash-based burial methods for cattle.

The current state of monitoring for anthrax-affected sites and burial grounds, coupled with decreased oversight by veterinary services, does not exclude the possibility of animal and human anthrax cases. However, these cases are predominantly sporadic, appearing as outbreaks.

In Russia, anthrax-prone areas are monitored at multiple levels. Collected information is compiled into reference materials, facilitating differentiated planning of preventive measures based on regional characteristics.

The existing registry of anthrax-affected sites in Russia no longer meets current demands. Modern electronic databases and geographic information systems contribute to identifying common patterns of anthrax territorial distribution in Russia and understanding the persistence of activity in affected locations. These tools enable efficient data collection, analysis, and synthesis to prevent deterioration of the epizootiological and epidemiological situation.