India: At least 35 people sickened with suspected anthrax in Odisha
Some 35 people in Angul district in Odisha have presented with symptoms consistent with cutaneous anthrax sending fear into the community, according to the New Indian Express today.
Anthrax image/Janice Carr-CDC
All the affected persons are from the same village and are suspected to have consumed meat of about three dead goats. It has not yet been determined if the goats were infected.
Fifteen persons have been rushed to the SCB Medical College Hospital while the rest are being treated at the local hospital at Kaniha.
“They have been admitted to the isolation ward of the hospital and are under the treatment of a special team of doctors. Though anthrax is yet to be confirmed, the symptoms are typical”, emergency medical officer of the SCBMCH, Dr B M Moharana, said.
Anthrax is a pathogen in livestock and wild animals. Some of the more common herbivores are cattle, sheep, goats, horses, camels and deers.
It infects humans primarily through occupational or incidental exposure with infected animals of their skins.
Anthrax is caused by the bacterium, Bacillus anthracis. This spore forming bacteria can survive in the environment for years because of its ability to resist heat, cold, drying, etc. this is usually the infectiousstage of anthrax.
When conditions become favorable, the spores germinate into colonies of bacteria. An example would be a grazing cow ingests spores that in the cow, germinate, grow spread and eventually kill the animal.
The bacteria will form spores in the carcass and then return to the soil to infect other animals. The vegetative form is rarely implicated in transmission.
There are no reports of person-to-person transmission of anthrax. People get anthrax by handling contaminated animal or animal products, consuming undercooked meat of infected animals and more recently, intentional release of spores.
There are three types of human anthrax with differing degrees of seriousness: cutaneous, gastrointestinal and inhalation.
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If it is ANTHRAX all measures need to be taken in an emergency basis to contain the spread of the same to others. It is deadly with 92% fatality rate. It is highly contagious. Some of the infected villagers have fled from the place. Stay away from infected people. Recently it was observed that live stock in that area were dying. Probably these animals have got the anthrax through grass/plants. In all probability, people in this village have consumed these animals and got infected. State Government MUST provide all the required medical help immediately.