Anthrax kills 13 cows in Sweden

VARBERG, Sweden, Dec. 14 (UPI) -- A rare outbreak of anthrax has killed 13 cows in Sweden, but is unlikely to harm people, says the country's Institute for Infectious Disease Control.

The farm near Varberg in western Sweden has been quarantined and the remaining animals treated with antibiotics, which is effective against anthrax, said Bengt Larsson, a spokesman for the Institute.

Anthrax can pass from animals to humans, but it is unusual for that to happen and antibiotics guard against it, Larsson said, noting the bacteria is incapable of passing from human to human.

The outbreak was confirmed Friday night after 13 animals had died in 12 days, reported tt, the Swedish news agency TT reported Saturday.

The anthrax may have come from the soil, Larsson said, noting traces of the bacteria can remain active for up to 50 years.

"It could be that the animals have been grazing in areas which have been dug up and where traces of dead animals infected with the bacteria

remain," Larsson said.

Sweden's last anthrax outbreak, in 1981, occurred in Uppland north of Stockholm.