All the five patients were exposed to infected cattle a week ago.
Three patients were preliminary diagnosed with skin anthrax, the least dangerous form of the disease. The results of lab tests are expected back by Thursday.
Anthrax most commonly infects wild mammals and domestic cattle and sheep, which ingest or inhale the spores while grazing. Humans can be affected when exposed to blood and other tissues from infected animals.
Anthrax can be highly lethal, but in some forms it responds well to antibiotic treatment. There are effective vaccines available against the disease.
As opposed to lung and gastrointestinal forms of the disease, skin anthrax is rarely fatal if treated, but without treatment about 20% of skin infection cases lead to sepsis and subsequent death.
