SONORA, Texas (AP)--Two Sutton County ranches are under quarantine after the discovery of anthrax in several head of cattle, horses and deer, state authorities said July 6.

Pascual Hernandez, an agent with the Texas Cooperative Extension Service in Sonora, said several other ranches have reported livestock and deer deaths and are being investigated. The ranches where the anthrax has been found will be under quarantine until veterinarians can determine that no other animals are infected, a process that could take six months to complete.

Sonora veterinarian Mike Keller said in a story in the July 7 San Angelo Standard-Times that no infected animals are known to have entered the human food supply because the animals were found dead and no animals have left those ranches recently.

Keller sent samples to the Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory in College Station recnetly after discovering the suspected cases of anthrax.

The disease associated with grazing animals is not normally transmitted to humans, except by eating tainted meat or through exposure, via open wounds, to infected material. In rare situations, anthrax can become airborne and be inhaled.

Thurman Fancher, West Texas area director and veterinarian for the Texas Animal Health Commission, said it is important to notify the public of an outbreak. He said livestock on infected property must be vaccinated and neighboring ranchers also must be notified of the need to vaccinate their herds.

"Anthrax is kind of like a coiled-up rattlesnake," Fancher, of Lampasas, told the newspaper. "You don't need to be afraid of it as long as you know it's there, but you sure need to respect it."

Officials wouldn't say how many animals were affected and would not identify the quarantined ranches. Outbreaks rarely spread beyond a certain area.

Sonora is about 150 miles west of San Antonio.

Date: 7/21/05