106 new Anthrax cases reported in one month
Expert for preventing it thru multidisciplinary approach
Dhaka, June 30 (UNB) – A total of 106 cutaneous anthrax cases have been detected at different places of the country’s northern and western regions in one month.
Of the anthrax cases, 38 were detected in Ullapara, six in Belkuchi, 28 in Shahjadpur and two in Sadar upazilas of Sirajganj while five in Bheramara of Kushtia, 13 in Bogra Sadar and 14 at Gopalpur of Tangail from May 20 to June 18 this year, according to the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR).
In the wake of the outbreak of the disease, a public health specialist said anthrax, a zoonotic disease, can be prevented and controlled through an integrated multidisciplinary approach.
“Anthrax is a curable and preventable disease. If an anthrax patient is diagnosed at the initial stage and given proper treatment, s/he will get cured completely,” said Dr Pravat Chandra Barua, former head of Community Medicine department at Chittagong Medical College.
Talking to UNB, he said the surgeons in both disciplines - veterinary and medical - would have to expand surveillance in the anthrax-infected areas to prevent contacts among the animals and human beings.
Dr Barua further said dairy farms should be brought under regular supervision by the veterinary surgeons. Local health workers and physicians should immediately notify the upazila health officers concerned and the district civil surgeons about the people and animals got affected by anthrax.
He said proper food-handling techniques as well as meat inspection by veterinary staff or sanitary inspectors, both before and after the cows are slaughtered, should strictly be ensured.
Explaining how anthrax spreads, Prof Barua said cutaneous anthrax (skin) is transmitted to humans from contact with contaminated animals, animal products, animal hides, or from soil by inoculation of broken skin or mucous membranes.
About the common symptoms for this disease, the public health specialist said cutaneous anthrax (skin) accounts for the vast majority of cases. Animal infection is a serious problem in Africa, India, Pakistan and the Middle East.
“This skin lesion is associated with occupational exposure (working environment) to anthrax spores during the processing of hides, and bone products or with bio terrorism,” Dr Barua said.
Gastrointestinal anthrax is associated with ingestion of meat products that have been contaminated or incompletely cooked. The symptoms include nausea, vomiting, anorexia, fever, and after 2-3 days severe abdominal pain with bloody diarrhoea. It might develop infections rapidly leading to death.
Inhalational anthrax is extremely rare unless associated with bio terrorism. Without intensive and quick treatment, the mortality rate is more than 90 percent. Symptoms for this form of anthrax include fever, dyspnoea, cough, headache and septicaemia developing in 3-14 days following exposure.
Of the anthrax cases, 38 were detected in Ullapara, six in Belkuchi, 28 in Shahjadpur and two in Sadar upazilas of Sirajganj while five in Bheramara of Kushtia, 13 in Bogra Sadar and 14 at Gopalpur of Tangail from May 20 to June 18 this year, according to the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR).
In the wake of the outbreak of the disease, a public health specialist said anthrax, a zoonotic disease, can be prevented and controlled through an integrated multidisciplinary approach.
“Anthrax is a curable and preventable disease. If an anthrax patient is diagnosed at the initial stage and given proper treatment, s/he will get cured completely,” said Dr Pravat Chandra Barua, former head of Community Medicine department at Chittagong Medical College.
Talking to UNB, he said the surgeons in both disciplines - veterinary and medical - would have to expand surveillance in the anthrax-infected areas to prevent contacts among the animals and human beings.
Dr Barua further said dairy farms should be brought under regular supervision by the veterinary surgeons. Local health workers and physicians should immediately notify the upazila health officers concerned and the district civil surgeons about the people and animals got affected by anthrax.
He said proper food-handling techniques as well as meat inspection by veterinary staff or sanitary inspectors, both before and after the cows are slaughtered, should strictly be ensured.
Explaining how anthrax spreads, Prof Barua said cutaneous anthrax (skin) is transmitted to humans from contact with contaminated animals, animal products, animal hides, or from soil by inoculation of broken skin or mucous membranes.
About the common symptoms for this disease, the public health specialist said cutaneous anthrax (skin) accounts for the vast majority of cases. Animal infection is a serious problem in Africa, India, Pakistan and the Middle East.
“This skin lesion is associated with occupational exposure (working environment) to anthrax spores during the processing of hides, and bone products or with bio terrorism,” Dr Barua said.
Gastrointestinal anthrax is associated with ingestion of meat products that have been contaminated or incompletely cooked. The symptoms include nausea, vomiting, anorexia, fever, and after 2-3 days severe abdominal pain with bloody diarrhoea. It might develop infections rapidly leading to death.
Inhalational anthrax is extremely rare unless associated with bio terrorism. Without intensive and quick treatment, the mortality rate is more than 90 percent. Symptoms for this form of anthrax include fever, dyspnoea, cough, headache and septicaemia developing in 3-14 days following exposure.
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