Curbing anthrax outbreak

Anthrax has been in the news in Bangladesh for nearly a month. There are reports of anthrax infection in Pirgachha upazila of the northern district of Rangpur. Though ruminating, hooved and grazing animals like cow, goat, lamb, etc., are usually infected by anthrax, humans can also contract the disease from physical contact with infected parts of the animals. A rod-shaped bacteria called bacillus anthracis causes the disease. The term bacillus is derived from the Latin word baculum meaning 'little staff or rod' and the word anthracis, has its root in the Greek  word 'anthrakis' meaning coal. So, the name of the germ at once describes its physical characteristics and the black lesion that its infection creates on an infected person's body. The bacteria usually pass through any cut or injury on a person's body that may come in contact with the infected part of the animal or its flesh. Some 50 people who reportedly contracted anthrax in Pirgachha upazila handled the infected animals' meat.  

Similar reports of anthrax infection among people are coming from Mithapukur and Kaunia upazilas of the same district. The bad news is-- two people reportedly died in the Pirgachha upazila who had symptoms of anthrax infection. According to some reports, during last July and September, over 300 cattle died of anthrax. This is not the first time that anthrax outbreak happened in the country. Even so, the reports that the disease is spreading among both humans and farm animals in the northern district of Rangpur is a matter to be taken seriously. Death of some 300 farm animals is a shocking development for the livestock resource of the country. The death of two people who bore symptoms of anthrax attack needs further investigation to confirm if they actually succumbed to anthrax. The health authority, particularly the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), should carry out investigation to find out under what circumstances those two people actually died. From another report, it could be further learnt that eight villagers in Pirgachha upazila were carrying anthrax germ, IEDCR experts confirmed. Anthrax germ has also been reportedly found in the beef some people of the locality kept in their fridges.

In this connection, measures are learnt to have been taken by the local administration to vaccinate more than 150,000 cattle, while butchers of the local bazaars and villagers raising cattle have been told to keep the infected animals under observation. These are certainly positive steps taken by the local authorities to keep the spread of anthrax in the area under control. At the same time, it will also be necessary to prohibit slaughtering of diseased animals and sale of their meat in the market. Anthrax is a killer disease in animals. Going by previous records, in the middle of 2010, Belkuchi and Kamarkhond upazilas of Sirajganj district saw an outbreak of the disease. By the second week of September of that year, the disease spread to several other districts of the country. It infected a large number of animals and people. In consequence, panic spread among the populace in those districts leading to a sharp decline in the consumption of animal meat, especially of beef and mutton. The panic not only adversely impacted export of halal meat, it also affected hide and skin trade, even export of footwear and bone meal. Livestock farming was hard hit. 

So, population of the districts affected by anthrax needs to be duly educated about the nature of the disease so they might not be unreasonably panicked. 

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