Ella Scott
A Texas resident baffled doctors after tests revealed he’d contracted a rare bacterial infection on his ranch.
The man, thought to be in his 50s, was patrolling his property on Christmas Eve when he came across a dead lamb.
A report from the Centres of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) claims that the animal ‘died suddenly’ and that the anonymous male had elected to ‘butcher’ it.
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After seasoning and cooking the lamb, he and five people dug into the dish - but only the man himself took ill.
Eleven days after eating the animal, the rancher headed to a US hospital where he was screened for having a fever and a high white blood cell count.
Moreover, he was treated for a black eschar on his right wrist, blistered lesions on his right arm, extensive edema and leukocytosis.
After being plied with antibiotics, the man spent a week recovering in the institution before being discharged.
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However, upon his arrival home, he discovered that two more animals had died on his farm.
It was later discovered that the deceased ewes suffered an ocular and nasal hemorrhage.
The bizarre situation led CDC investigators to probe further into the case.
Tests later confirmed that the unnamed man had been infected with anthrax, a rare but serious illness caused by a spore-forming bacterium called Bacillus anthracis.
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According to Mayo Clinic, anthrax mainly affects livestock and wild game but humans can become infected through direct or indirect contact with infected animals.
The CDC states that the illness can also spread to humans through contact with mammal hides, hair and the air.
After investigating the incident, the CDC confirmed that the lamb was ‘suspected to be the source of the patient’s illness, in light of suspected anthrax’.
Scientists added in the Morbidity and Morality Weekly report that this would serve as a cautionary tale for civilians not to eat dead animals.
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“Processing animals that die suddenly from unknown causes should be avoided, irrespective of the season,” they wrote.
Unfortunately, it still remains unclear how the lamb became infected with anthrax.
It’s thought that the young animal, along with the two dead ewes, must have ingested anthrax spores on the property.
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Anthrax, first described in the late 1700s, usually causes symptoms to develop within the first six days of bacteria exposure.
These symptoms vary but can include swollen lymph glands, itchy black lumps on the skin, significant swelling and flu-like feelings.
If you believe you’ve been exposed to a rare illness, you must seek medical advice immediately as early diagnosis and treatment are crucial.
While anthrax is most common in continents such as Africa and southern Asia, vulnerable US residents are advised to receive a dedicated vaccination.
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It’s recommended that farmers, those who work with livestock and military personnel get an anthrax vaccination.