Wyoming
Anthrax Outbreak In Wyoming Sparks Health Warning—Here’s What To Know
Topline
An outbreak of anthrax—a deadly bacterial disease feared as a potential bioweapon—among cattle and wildlife in Wyoming has killed dozens of animals, and health officials are urging people to take care as experts investigate what marks the first outbreak of its kind in the state in decades.
Dozens of cattle have died due to anthrax in Wyoming.
Key Facts
The Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory has confirmed a case of anthrax in a dead moose in Carbon County, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department said in a statement.
The discovery marks the first time the deadly bacterial disease has been confirmed in wildlife in Wyoming in decades—the last case was reported in 1956—and the state agency said the moose is “the only documented case reported in wildlife at this time.”
Anthrax has also been found in nearby cattle in Carbon County, officials said, the first confirmed infections in Wyoming cattle since the 1970s.
The Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory confirmed the diagnosis in late August and said anthrax had been found in cattle from multiple herds around the Elk Mountain region.
Wyoming State Veterinarian Hallie Hasel told Cowboy State Daily at least 50 cattle have died due to anthrax, warning that losses may climb as officials determine the full extent of the outbreak.
Hasel said the outbreak appears to be limited to a localized region at this time and the Wyoming’s Game and Fish Department said it “will continue to monitor the situation and assess impacts to wildlife.”
Does Anthrax Pose A Risk To Humans?
Though “human cases are rare,” Wyoming’s Game and Fish Department said “precautions are warranted” in light of the outbreak. To limit the risk of anthrax exposure, Wyoming officials advised hunters and the public to stay away from any dead cattle or wildlife they encounter, to avoid harvesting sick-looking animals and to avoid picking up any roadkill in the Elk Mountain area, as well as to wear gloves while field dressing or handling harvested animals. The agency also advised owners of dogs, horses and other pets to keep the animals away from any carcasses they might encounter and urged anyone encountering dead wildlife to take a note of its location and report the findings. Health experts and organizations recommend seeking medical attention if anthrax exposure is suspected and antibiotics can be given as a form of post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP, to prevent anthrax from developing if symptoms haven’t developed.
Key Background
Anthrax is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can jump from animals to humans, and its discovery in both livestock and wildlife in Wyoming means there is a risk to humans. Human anthrax infections are relatively rare, especially in countries like the United States, but are serious and often rapidly fatal without prompt treatment with antibiotics. There are four types of anthrax—cutaneous, injection, inhalation and gastrointestinal—which occur when the bacteria enter through the skin, an injection, are breathed in or are eaten. More than 90% are cutaneous (skin) anthrax, which can happen after spores enter through cuts or grazes when handling infected animals or contaminated animal products like hides, wool or hair. It is considered the least dangerous form of anthrax and around a fifth of patients will still die without treatment. But almost all treated properly with antibiotics will survive with symptoms like itchy skin, blisters, sores and swelling appearing around the infection site around one to seven days after exposure. The antibiotics most commonly used to treat anthrax—ciprofloxacin and doxycycline—are readily available and widely used throughout medicine.
Tangent
While anthrax is an infectious disease, it is not contagious and does not spread between people or animals. Infections primarily occur in mammals—often wild and domestic herbivores like sheep, cows, goats and deer—as well as some bird species. It almost always arises following environmental exposure and the durable nature of the spores mean it is practically impossible to eliminate or control the threat of anthrax in a given area once it is established. These features, along with the ability to disperse it as an aerosol, also make anthrax an ideal candidate for biological warfare. It is well-documented that many countries have explored the possibility of weaponizing anthrax and while some have admitted developing weaponized strains, no country is known to have deployed any. Officials worry anthrax could be deployed by non-state actors like terrorist groups, such as through letter attacks, and the CDC says anthrax is “one of the biological agents most likely to be used” in a bioterrorist attack.
Surprising Fact
Experts appear to be discovering new ways anthrax can manifest in humans, though examples are exceedingly rare. Scientists and clinicians used to believe only cutaneous, inhalation and gastrointestinal anthrax were possible in humans, though they recently discovered a distinct form of anthrax among heroin-injecting drug users in northern Europe. Symptoms for injection anthrax are similar to cutaneous anthrax but can include an infection deep under the skin or in the muscle where the drug was injected, the CDC says, and it can spread faster through the body and be harder to recognize than the cutaneous form. The CDC also warns of another anthrax disease: welder’s anthrax. The agency said the “newly identified and rare disease… has been found in several people who are welders or metalworkers.” It can cause severe pneumonia and be fatal, the CDC said, urging welders or metalworkers who develop “fever and chills with sudden cough, chest pain, difficulty breathing, or coughing up blood, see a healthcare provider immediately.”
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Further Reading
The 2026 Wyoming High School boys’ soccer season is close to its finish. Only three weeks remain. 4A teams will conclude the regular season, as they jockey for positions going into next week’s regional tournaments. Meanwhile, 3A schools have this week and next week left in the regular season. They are trying to reach the top four of the league standings, as those are the teams that qualify for the state tournament in two weeks.
WYOPREPS WEEK 8 BOYS SOCCER SCHEDULE 2026
Three matches this week feature ranked opponents squaring off. Sheridan will host Thunder Basin on Friday. In 3A on Saturday, top-ranked Cody is at No. 5 Mountain View, and four-rated Torrington goes to No. 2 Buffalo. Just like the ladies, you have some rivalry matches on the schedule with Rock Springs-Green River, Jackson-Star Valley, and Thunder Basin-Campbell County. Wednesday will bring new soccer rankings. This is the boys’ schedule for Week 8. Schedules are subject to change.
TUESDAY, MAY 5:
CLASS 4A
Final Score: #2 Sheridan 2 Campbell County 1 (conference match)
Final Score: Riverton 3 Natrona County 1 (conference match)
CLASS 3A
Pinedale at Rawlins – postponed to May 11 – changed to May 9 for boys’ match only!
WEDNESDAY, MAY 6:
CLASS 4A
Laramie at Cheyenne Central – postponed to May 9
Cheyenne South at Cheyenne East – postponed to May 9
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WyoPreps Week 6 Boys Soccer Scores 2026
WyoPreps Coaches & Media Soccer Polls 4-22-26
WyoPreps Boys Soccer Standings on 4-20-26
WyoPreps Week 5 Boys Soccer Scores 2026
WyoPreps Coaches & Media Soccer Polls 4-15-26
WyoPreps Week 4 Boys Soccer Scores 2026
WyoPreps Week 3 Boys Soccer Scores 2026
WyoPreps Week 2 Boys Soccer Scores 2026
WyoPreps Week 1 Boys Soccer Scores 2026
THURSDAY, MAY 7:
CLASS 4A
Final Score: #1 Jackson 8 Star Valley 2 (conference match)
Final Score: #4 Thunder Basin 3 Campbell County 1 (conference match)
Final Score: Rock Springs 2 #5 Green River 1 (conference match)
FRIDAY, MAY 8:
CLASS 4A
Final Score: Cheyenne Central 6 Cheyenne South 0 (conference match)
Final Score: #2 Sheridan 3 #4 Thunder Basin 1 (conference match)
Final Score: #2 Kelly Walsh 6 Riverton 0 (conference match)
Final Score: Laramie 3 Cheyenne East 1 (conference match)
Final Score: Evanston 2 Natrona County 2 – TIE (conference match) – Red Devils scored with 1 second left for the draw.
CLASS 3A
Final Score: #4 Worland 1 Rawlins 0 (conference match) – Kobe Bradshaw scored the GW goal on a PK in the 1st half.
Final Score: Douglas 2 Torrington 2 (conference match) – Shootout = Torrington wins 4-3!
Final Score: #1 Cody Lyman (conference match)
Final Score: #2 Lander 3 Pinedale 0 (conference match)
Final Score: Powell 1 #5 Mountain View 0 (conference match) – Gianrey Dallesandro with the GW-goal, assisted by Ethan Frame.
Final Score: #3 Buffalo 1 Newcastle 0 (conference match) – forfeit win for the Bison.
SATURDAY, MAY 9:
CLASS 4A
Laramie at Cheyenne Central, 11 a.m. (conference match)
Evanston at #2 Kelly Walsh, noon (conference match)
Cheyenne South at Cheyenne East, noon (conference match)
Riverton at Natrona County, noon (conference match)
Rock Springs at Star Valley, 1 p.m. (conference match)
CLASS 3A
Pinedale at Rawlins, 11 a.m.
#1 Cody at #5 Mountain View, noon (conference match)
Powell at Lyman, noon (conference match)
Torrington at #3 Buffalo, 2 p.m. (conference match)
#4 Worland at Douglas, 2 p.m. (conference match)
Final Score: Rawlins 1 Newcastle 0 (conference match) – forfeit win for the Outlaws.
Cheyenne Central vs. Cheyenne East HS Softball 2026
The Indians faced the rival Thunderbirds on April 15, 2026
Gallery Credit: David Settle, WyoPreps.com
James Forest Mothersbaugh Jr.: 1953 – 2025
James “Jim” Forest Mothersbaugh Jr. passed away on Saturday, December 6, 2025 at Central Wyoming Hospice in Casper, Wyoming, from complications of Multiple System Atrophy. He is survived by his wife, Becky Mothersbaugh; his sons, James Forest Mothersbaugh III and Blair Mothersbaugh; and Blair’s fiancée, Kelsey Baron.
Jim’s life was defined by music. He was a highly accomplished violinist, performing with the Orquesta Sinfonica de Puerto Rico, Wyoming Symphony Orchestra, and Savannah Symphony, among many others. He held degrees in violin performance, music education, and conducting from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and the Hartt School of Music in Hartford, Connecticut, with additional doctoral studies at the University of Iowa. He met his wife when they were both performing in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and passed his musical acumen to both of his sons. Jim taught orchestra and music theory to generations of students of all ages & abilities during his 28 years in the Natrona County School District. He conducted award-winning orchestras, taught students who went on to become professional musicians, and instilled a sense of purpose, character, and belief in both his students and colleagues that extended far beyond the stage. He was also an expert in the craft of re-hairing bows for string instruments, knew everything there is to know about The Beatles, and possessed a rare ability called synesthesia, which allowed him to see specific colors when hearing music. He leaves an extensive, enduring, and active legacy in the Wyoming musical community.
Jim will be immensely missed by his family, his friends, his colleagues, and his students. A celebration of life will take place at Backwards Distilling Company in Casper, Wyoming on June 28, 2026 from 2 to 5 p.m. Please RSVP at https://jimsmemorial.rsvpify.com/.
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