Bioterrorism would be suspected if anthrax is diagnosed:

• A. In People, Cattle And Dogs In Washington
• B. In Several Workers At An Abattoir
• C. In Both Humans And Animals At The Same Time In The Dakotas
• D. In Several Dead Cattle After Heavy Storms

Answer: (C)

When anthrax appears in both humans and animals at the same time in a broad region, it raises strong suspicion of a deliberate release. Natural outbreaks typically involve a more limited pattern—often confined to certain animal populations in endemic areas, with human cases linked to contact with those animals or their products. A synchronized, multi‑species event across a region like the Dakotas suggests a single dissemination effort affecting multiple hosts, which is more consistent with bioterrorism than with ordinary natural transmission. The other scenarios describe patterns that are more compatible with localized exposure or single‑site events rather than a coordinated, cross‑species outbreak across a wide area.