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M I N N E S 0 T A <br /> DEPARTMENToF HEALTH <br /> Proteetin& maintaining and improving the health of all Minnesotans I <br /> November 30,2006 <br /> Larry Hartman,EFP Staff <br /> Department of Commerce <br /> 85 7th Place East,Suite 500 <br /> St.Paul,MN 55101-2198 <br /> Dear Mr.Hartman, <br /> The Minnesota Department of Health has been contacted regarding the potential risk to humans of acquiring anthrax <br /> as a result of soil excavation procedures during pipeline construction. Human anthrax is extremely rare in the United <br /> States. There are less than 100 cases of human anthrax that occur each year in the world,and except for the anthrax <br /> terrorism attack in 2001,we have not seen a case of human anthrax in the United States since 1975. There is little to <br /> no risk to humans of contracting anthrax from soil being disturbed,even if naturally occurring anthrax spores are <br /> present in the soil. <br /> Anthrax in humans can be acquired in three ways: cutaneous, ingestion,or inhalation. Cutaneous,or skin,anthrax <br /> can occur when the bacterial anthrax spores enter an open wound and infect the wound. Ingestion,or <br /> gastrointestinal, anthrax occurs in poorer parts of the world where persons may eat animals that have died from <br /> anthrax. Inhalational,or lung,anthrax was the route of infection for most of the victims of the 2001 anthrax attack. <br /> Most mhalational anthrax cases in the U.S. occurred in the early 1900s,and were in factory or mill workers who <br /> were regularly exposed to spores while they directly processed anneal hides or hair. <br /> Soil excavation activities occur all over the world,and anthrax spores exist in soil in nearly all continents,but the <br /> medical and public health communities have not heard of one case of human anthrax that has been linked to soil <br /> disruption. Unlike anthrax spores that have been manipulated for terrorism use to improve their ability to stay aloft <br /> in the air,naturally occurring anthrax spores have an affinity to quickly fall to the ground and remain there. And <br /> since humans do not graze,they are not at risk of ingesting the spores. <br /> I hope this information alleviates any concerns the public may have about acquiring anthrax as a result of the <br /> pipeline construction. If you need additional information,please contact me at 651.201.5085 and I would be happy <br /> to provide it. <br /> Sincerely, <br /> 'jctA.),P'(' 614, <br /> Jayne Griffith,MA,MPH <br /> Senior Epidemiologist <br /> Bioterrorism Unit <br /> JG:mkg <br /> cc: Randall Duncan,Natural Resource Group,Inc. <br /> Allen Frechette,Scott County Health Department <br /> Linda Glaser,Minnesota Board of Animal Health <br /> Robert Patton,Minnesota Department of Agriculture <br /> General Information: (651) 201-5000 • TDDITYY:(651)201-5797 0 Minnesota Relay Service:(800)627-3529 • www.health.state.mn.us <br /> For directions to any of the MDH locations,call(651)201-5000 0 An equal opportunity employer <br />