Anthrax has been found in a cow in England, the first case in any animal since 2006.
Wiltshire Council confirmed the "isolated" case at a farm in the Westbury area of Wiltshire following the death of a cow at the end of last week.
A spokesman said it was detected quickly with a number of agencies working together.
The cow has now been incinerated and restrictions on movement are in place at the farm.
Mike Wade, Deputy Director of Health Protection for Public Health England South West said: "We are aware of a confirmed case of anthrax disease in a cow in the Westbury area of Wiltshire.
"The risk of infection in close human contacts of the animal is very low, and we are in touch with any potential contacts to offer public health advice."
Maggie Rae, Director of Public Health and Wiltshire Council Corporate Director said: "We worked with our partners both locally and nationally and swift action was taken to deal with the immediate risk.
"We know any risk is low. However as you would expect, we are taking this very seriously and we will be doing everything in our power to support the national and local experts to keep Wiltshire safe."
The lethal disease is spread by spores and has been used for bioweapons programmes in the US and elsewhere.
Its microscopic spores can be released without being detected and the disease can be deadly unless a patient is quickly given large doses of antibiotics.
Five people were treated in hospital in Hungary in 2014 after anthrax was found in beef. Several UK drug users have also died from the disease in recent years.
The Wiltshire Council spokesman added: "Human cases of anthrax are very rare. The risk to the general public is extremely low but it is kept under constant review.
"No cattle from the field have entered the food chain but as a precaution a local public footpath has been closed."
Anthrax spores last a long time in soil. The last outbreak in the UK among animals was on a farm in South Wales in 2006 when two cows died.
The two cases were linked to previous ones that occurred 35 year before, according to the National Animal Disease Information Service.
In June, the Pentagon admitted a UK laboratory accidentally received live anthrax samples from the US military.
The samples were sent in 2007 and were destroyed shortly after testing, the UK's Health and Safety Executive said.
