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ANTHRAX - ROMANIA, MOLDOVA: SUSPECTED
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In this posting:
[1] Romania (Botosani)
[2] Moldova (Transnistria)

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[1] Romania (Botosani)
Date: Mon 17 Jun 2013
Source: Moldova News, Botosani Monitor report [in Romanian, trans., edited]
http://moldovanews.ro/135651/eveniment/ ... in-spital/


Representatives of the Department of Public Health (DSP) issued an alert yesterday [16 Jun 2013] afternoon after a 56-year-old man of Stauceni [Botosani County, Romania] arrived at the emergency unit with symptoms of anthrax. Admitted to the Infectious Diseases Section of the County Hospital, he is under medical supervision. To avoid spread of disease, epidemiologists have prepared a room where they isolated and subjected him to treatment and further tests.

"So far, the patient has fever and an [lesion] on the arm. He is showing clinical signs of cutaneous anthrax, but we are waiting upon laboratory results," said the county's chief epidemiologist, Ecaterina Chihaia.

The man has told doctors that a few days after he treated some insect bites on his forearm with Vaseline, some nodular effusions appeared, popularly referred to as "black sore" [a.k.a. "Siberian ulcer" - Mod.MHJ].

The alert was communicated to the Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority, but they are awaiting the results of laboratory tests before initiating [farm] quarantine.

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[Cutaneous cases in humans are seen as a result of biting fly activity with contaminated mouthparts; such an event is presently uncommon but not unexpected. That the veterinary authorities are involved suggests that they know of an affected animal or animals. That the veterinary authorities are holding back until there is a laboratory confirmation suggests that they are lacking information on any unexpected livestock deaths in the area. In my experience a telephone call to the owner of the pub in the village where this 56-year-old man lives would quickly reveal which farm or farms needed visiting.

Bovine outbreaks of anthrax were reported in Botosani in 2005 and 2009; the latter involved 2 human cases.

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Romania can be seen at http://healthmap.org/r/7pm*. Botosani is in the north east corner of Romania, abutting the Moldovan border; see map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/europe/romania_pol96.jpg
To locate Stauceni, go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St%C4%83u ... o%C8%99ani. - Mod.MHJ]

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[2] Moldova (Transnistria)
Date: Tue 18 Jun 2013
Source: EVZ.ro [in Romanian, trans., edited]
http://www.evz.ro/detalii/stiri/posibil ... 43146.html


A suspected case of anthrax has been recorded in Dubasari in Transnistria, in a private household.

According to Tiraspol press, the results of laboratory tests are currently expected to determine if it really is about the disease "mad cow". [Why is "mad cow" not explained? - Mod.MHJ]

The Regional Veterinarians normally take preventive measures to avoid the possible spread of the disease. Local media did not specify what it is, and the Dubasari President, Gregory Policinschi, did not know any details.

The last case of anthrax disease of animals in Moldova was registered in March last year [2012, in Riscani], and in 2011, 2 [porcine] cases were reported. Anthrax is a potentially fatal disease caused by the bacterium _Bacillus anthracis_. It occurs in cattle, horses, sheep, and goats.

[Byline: Roxana Roseti]

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Sabine Zentis
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[As at least one of the 2 cases in Dubasari has died I think we can presume that this report refers to livestock cases, and as they quote "mad cow" probably bovine.

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Moldova can be seen at http://healthmap.org/r/7pn0. For the location of Dubasari and Transnistria in a map of Moldova, go to http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/commonwe ... _pol01.jpg; Dubasari Province is currently under the administration of the breakaway government of the Moldovan Republic of Transnistria. - Mod.MHJ]

ANTHRAX - MOLDOVA: (SOROCA) ONGOING CASES
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Date: Sun 7 Jul 2013
Source: Liga Novosti [in Russian, trans. Mod.NP, edited]
http://news.liga.net/news/health/874293 ... uchaya.htm


The Ministry of Health of Moldova has reported an outbreak of anthrax in the village of Veden, in Soroca district, located in northeast Moldova close to the border with Ukraine. Results of an epidemiological survey of several inhabitants of the village revealed the 4 patients were infected after a meal in which the main dish was freshly cooked beef.

All patients were hospitalized to the Republican Infectious Diseases hospital: one of them is in critical condition and the other 3 are in the moderately severe condition.

Specialists of Ministry of Agriculture of Moldova are providing the measures for the localization of the infection to prevent the spread of infection. [Presumably livestock vaccination and destruction of any contaminated meat. - Mod.MHJ]

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[This outbreak is to the north of the previous report of human cases in Dubasari district (Transnistria) and probably reflects an ongoing problem which gathers few reports.

From their reports to OIE, anthrax in Moldova is sporadic with few outbreaks. And yet it receives considerable government attention via vaccination. For example, in 2012 vaccination coverage for cattle was 226 871/221 113 (103 percent), sheep & goats 937 421/908 079 (103 percent), horses 40 722/49 319 (83 percent), and pigs 3636/496 634 (0.7 percent). Outbreaks occur among pigs almost as frequently as reported for cattle. The last reported outbreak in sheep and goats was in 2004. With this level of vaccination the disease is clearly of concern, and possibly the problem is of poor reporting and poor usage of the vaccines distributed.

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Moldova can be seen at http://healthmap.org/r/7ytP. To find Soroca district in northeastern Moldova, go to http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/commonwe ... _pol01.jpg and Veden http://www.fallingrain.com/world/MD/87/Vadeni.html.

Our thanks to Natalia for the translation. - Mod.MHJ]

ANTHRAX - TAJIKISTAN: (SOGD) HUMAN
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Date: Mon 15 Jul 2013
Source: Asia-Plus [edited]
http://news.tj/en/news/cases-anthrax-reported-sughd


Cases of [human] anthrax have been reported in 2 districts of the northern province of Sogd (Sughd). "Cases of anthrax have been registered in the Ayni and Panjakent districts," Nasibjon Ikromov, the 1st deputy head of the Sogd sanitary and epidemiological center, told Asia-Plus in an interview.

According to him, 2 cases of anthrax have been registered in Ayni and 4 cases of anthrax have been registered in Panjakent. "The anthrax patients from Ayni have been taken to the hospital in Khujand for further medical treatment," Ikromov added.

[Byline: Sheroz Sharipov]

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[Sogd (also spelled Sughd) is tucked inside Uzbekistan: see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sughd_Province. In the Perry-Castaneda Library Map Collection 2001 map (see http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/commonwe ... _pol01.jpg) it is labeled Viloyati Leninobod. Ayni and Panjakent are on the A377 highway to Samarqand. Its closeness to an enzootically affected region of Uzbekistan and the commonality of the road systems raises the possibility that these 6 people might have gotten infected from purchased (contaminated) meat that had originated in the Ferghana valley of western Uzbekistan. Or it could have gone east on the A377 highway; this is given weight by the 4 cases in Panjakent in the west compared to cases in Ayni in the east -- the cities are some 90-plus kilometres [56-plus miles] apart. In either case there should be more human cases. This is speculation as the news account gives no information from Nasibjon Ikromov, the deputy chief of the provincial public health service and epidemiology center, as to the source, if he knows.

Livestock outbreaks in Sogd were last reported to OIE in 2009 and 2011; both outbreaks involved cattle. - Mod.MHJ

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/r/7Dtg.]

ANTHRAX - TAJIKISTAN (02): (SOGD) MORE HUMAN CASES
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Date: Wed 17 Jul 2013
Source: Trend [edited]
http://en.trend.az/regions/casia/tajiki ... 71770.html


Anthrax virus (bacteria) is spreading over the northern regions of Tajikistan. On [16 Jul 2013], 2 more infected people were registered in Bobojonghafur district [Ghafurov district] of Tajik Sogdiysk region [Sogd province], Asia-Plus reported with the reference to deputy chief physician of the regional Sanitary-Epidemiological Service, Nasibdzhon Ikromov.

According to Ikromov, the Center for Sanitary and Epidemiological Supervision takes measures to prevent the spread of the infectious diseases in accordance with the approved action plan. [However, anthrax is not contagious, though infectious. - Mod.MHJ]

Meanwhile, 8 anthrax cases were detected within the country, including 4 in Aini district [previously only 2], 2 in Panjakent district [previous report had 4] and 2 more in Bobojonghafur [Ghafurov] district, he said. One of the people infected with anthrax has died in the infectious disease hospital.

According to Ikromov, 33 people in the Ayni district, as well as 28 people in Panjakent and 6 in Bobojonghafur [Ghafurov] districts had contact with the source of infection (the infected animal). All these people are under medical observation.

[Byline: E. Kosolapova]

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[Ghafurov district is 165 km (about 103 miles) northeast of Ayni district on the M34 highway, and is also known as Bobojon Ghafurov; see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobojon_Ghafurov. This additional separation must put in doubt that the present 8 individuals were infected from the one infected animal -- and it is some 90 km (about 56 miles) between Ayni and Panjakent districts. Meat is usually locally consumed in Central Asia, and with such a distribution we can surely expect more cases.

For the different districts of Sogd Province, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sughd_Province. For a map of Tajikistan, see http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/commonwe ... _pol01.jpg. - Mod.MHJ

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/r/7Dtg.]

ANTHRAX - NAMBIA (04): (CAPRIVI) ELEPHANT
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Date: Thu 25 Jul 2013
Source: All Africa [edited]
http://allafrica.com/stories/201307251057.html


The [Namibia] Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry has issued an anthrax alert to members of the public and farming communities in the Caprivi Region. This comes after tests confirmed that an elephant died from the bacterial disease in the Masikili-Nakabolelelwa area recently.

In a press statement, the ministry's permanent secretary, Joseph Iita, warned members of the public at large not to touch, open, or eat meat from any animal carcass that dies on its own or of unknown causes.

According to the statement, by the time veterinary officials arrived at the scene of the dead elephant, the local villagers in the area had already opened the carcass and helped themselves to the meat. Urging people in the vicinity of Masikili and Nakabolelelwa who had contact with the elephant in question to visit the nearest clinic for appropriate advice, Iita warned: "Handling such meat or eating meat from such animals puts the people at serious risks of contracting anthrax."

Iita said anthrax is a vaccine-preventable disease in livestock, and urged livestock owners to vaccinate their animals against the disease once a year. "Anthrax carcasses should be disposed of by deep burial or burning without opening them. This limits contamination of the environment by the causal bacteria," Iita added.

[byline: Luqman Cloete]

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[In the 2008 event we last reported there were 4 elephants down in Caprivi as well as in nearby Botswana, so I suspect we may hear of further cases.

Anthrax cases in elephants are routinely reported in the Etosha and Chobe national parks, as well as in Caprivi. Considering the constant threat of livestock anthrax in that region, it would be logical to have enforced annual vaccination of the cattle. As of yet, there is no vaccine specifically for wild elephants, and the economics of attempting it with the Sterne strain of the vaccine would rule that out; darting them from helicopters and land rovers would be far too expensive to be even considered, especially as the veterinary service appears to be unenthusiastic. If my memory serves me right, anthrax is seen in the Etosha elephants typically at the end of the wet season and then is followed by antelope anthrax in the dry season.

The tension between farmers and roaming elephants is of long standing but more complex than this piece would indicate. Part of the rumpus reflects a desire by some rural folk to harvest elephants for their ivory. Elsewhere in Africa, elephants have decreased significantly in numbers thanks to uncontrolled poaching and loss of habitat by the invasion of parks by marginal farmers.

Dealing with elephant carcasses is difficult, as one would imagine. The prescribed technique is to pile the carcass with thorn brush to discourage scavengers while the carcass decomposes. The drop in pH will kill the vegetative cells quickly in the unopened carcass. Burning takes a significant volume of wood, and it is hard to ventilate the underside of the elephant carcass properly.

For a map of Namibia showing the Caprivi Strip in the northeast corner, go to http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/africa/namibia_pol90.jpg. - Mod.MHJ

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/r/7MNH.]

ANTHRAX - GEORGIA: (TBILISI) HUMAN
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Date: Sat 24 Aug 2013
Source: Trend [edited]
http://en.trend.az/regions/scaucasus/ge ... 82149.html


Representatives of Georgian National Food Agency revealed the fact of sale of health-hazardous products at Central Agricultural Market [Dezertirebi] in Tbilisi.

Due to this case, a section for meat sales closed at the market "Dezertirebi 2012", the Agency told to Trend on [Fri 23 Aug 2013].

The inspection was carried out after a citizen, who bought meat at this market, fell ill with anthrax. Currently he is undergoing hospital treatment.

The meat was sent to the laboratory for study.

The Agency has determined that the salesman purchased 15 kilos [33 lb] of meat at Navtlug market, and bypassing the laboratory and without the form no. 2, brought it to the market "Dezertirebi 2012." Individual entrepreneur GS, the renter of the section for meat sales was fined 1000 lari (USD 602 at 1.66 lari to the USD).

The meat sales stopped at the market [until disinfection work is completed].

[Byline: N.Kirtzkhalia]

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[This is a too common event of careless marketing in Georgia and it demonstrates an unfortunate separation of the public health services from the veterinary services. It is the efficient functioning of the latter in livestock control, vaccination, and surveillance that results in zero human cases. Not the other way around. If you cannot stop livestock cases, you just continue to have more and more human cases. A butchered carcass results in 2-3 people exposed doing the skinning and butchering, then you have the dozens of people exposed in the market stalls selling and handling the contaminated meat, and even more clients buying the meat. Efficient livestock vaccination is the most cost effective means of reducing outbreaks and, when done right, it results in anthrax eradication ... a secondary benefit of proper control of this disease. - Mod.MHJ

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/r/5RXP.]

ANTHRAX, HUMAN - KYRGYZSTAN (02): (TALAS)
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Date: Wed 4 Sep 2013
Source: 24.kg News Agency [edited]
http://eng.24.kg/incidents/2013/09/04/27767.html


Another anthrax case was registered in Kyrgyzstan, Public Health Department under the Health Care Ministry of Kyrgyzstan informed 24.kg news agency.

According to its data, a 33-year-old resident of Bakay-Ata district, Talas province, was diagnosed with anthrax on 3 Sep [2013]. He was hospitalized with suspected disease and was tested. The diagnosis was confirmed [4 Sep 2013].

As it was being reported, his 31-year-old fellow villager was also taken to hospital with the symptoms of the disease.

It was noted that this was not the 1st case. During the previous month [August 2013], a resident of Alamudun district, Chui province, was also diagnosed with anthrax.

[Byline: Makhinur Niyazova]

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[While Talas appears to have had its share of outbreaks, they are seldom reported. The only report we have is in a 2008 review of outbreaks in Kyrgyzstan, when 23 "foci," or outbreaks, were reported in the province. These cases usually follow from slaughtering and butchering sick animals, mainly cattle, so that the meat can be shared with neighbours and sold in local markets.

Talas is in north-western Kyrgyzstan along the Kazakh border, west of Chuy, and north of Jalal-Abad. For a map of Kyrgyzstan showing Talas, go to: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/commonwe ... pol_05.jpg. - Mod.MHJ

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/r/8jOI.]

ANTHRAX, HUMAN - KYRGYZSTAN (03): (TALAS)
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[1]
Date: Wed 11 Sep 2013
Source: Lenta.Ru [in Russian, trans. Sabine Zentis, edited]
http://lenta.ru/news/2013/09/11/karantin/


The Kyrgyz village of Yntymak (located in the Talas region, northwest of the country) has been quarantined due to an outbreak of anthrax, according to the head of the department of supervision and prevention of infectious diseases.

Quarantine will last until 21 Sep 2013. "These measures are taken to control the movement of farm animals. For 2 weeks, no livestock or poultry may be moved from the village," explained the clerk. According to her, to date, Talas oblast hospital has received 16 people with suspected anthrax. In 2 of these patients, the diagnosis has been confirmed; 5 were negative, and 9 more are awaiting the results of laboratory tests.

The outbreak of anthrax in the Talas region became known in early September 2013. According to the "Evening Bishkek," Manas Moldaliev, the regional center director for general practice, said that on 22 and 30 Aug 2013, the Yntymak villagers killed cattle, and all those who took part in it and took the meat, are now in the hospital.

The animals are believed to have been sick, but none of the villagers showed them to their veterinarian at slaughter or since then. The publication notes that the locals tried to hide the diseased cattle because the state has refused to pay them compensation for their deaths.

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[2]
Date: Wed 11 Sep 2013
Source: New Region [in Russian, trans. Sabine Zentis, edited]
http://www.nr2.ru/asia/459521.html


Kyrgyzstan's Health Ministry has confirmed the facts of human infection with anthrax in the north of the country.

In early September 2013, 2 male villagers with identical symptoms of the disease were taken to the regional hospital in Talas. According to the results of laboratory tests, for one of the residents from the Buckeye-Ata district, the initial diagnosis was confirmed. Analysis of a 33-year-old man showed that he was infected with anthrax. Later, the diagnosis of the 2nd patient also showed a positive result.

Quarantine has been imposed on the village Yntymak in the Talas region in the north of Kyrgyzstan and will last until 21 Sep 2013; if necessary, its duration will be increased.

Meanwhile, another 16 villagers have been hospitalized with similar symptoms; in 2 of them, anthrax infection was also confirmed. Currently, all diseased cases are isolated, and the others are under close medical supervision. According to the Kyrgyz medics, supplies for anthrax treatment have arrived in the region, and so all patients are receiving treatment.

Just before these cases of anthrax in the north of the country, the head physician of the Center Tokmok Gossanepidnadzora, Dr. Raimbek Nurgaziev, warned of a possible epidemic of anthrax in the city. The main reasons for this un-reassuring prognosis were the lack of chlorination facilities at the wells supplying the city with water.

"Water quality is very poor," said Raimbek Nurgaziev. "Water samples showed deviations from the norm and with excessive levels of bacteria. The authorities plan to install water sterilisation, but when will that be? Even today, the levels of enteric diseases among residents are too high, as are cases of hepatitis. In preparing kebabs, they use water from their wells, hence the danger of the epidemic."

Meanwhile, to date, out of 1238 foci of anthrax in Kyrgyzstan, more than half are in a reasonable state [presumably undisturbed - Mod.MHJ].

--
Communicated by:
Sabine Zentis
Castleview English Longhorns
Gut Laach
D-52385 Nideggen, Germany
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[This is a continuation of the previous ProMED-mail posting (archive number 20130905.1926141). So far, there appear to be 4 people with confirmed diagnoses of anthrax; and confirmation is awaiting on 9, and 5 are in the clear.

Anthrax from drinking water is possible but not normally expected for humans. I have included this information as it sheds light on the general human health problems in that oblast.

Talas is in northwestern Kyrgyzstan along the Kazakh border, west of Chuy, and north of Jalal-Abad. For a map of Kyrgyzstan showing Talas, go to: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/commonwe ... pol_05.jpg. - Mod.MHJ

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/r/1HT*.]

ANTHRAX - BULGARIA: (SHUMEN) HUMAN, OVINE, SUSPECTED
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Date: Sun 15 Sep 2013
Source: novinite.com, Sofia News Agency [edited]
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=153660


A case of anthrax in livestock has been discovered in the Bulgarian village of Yasenkovo, in the northeastern Shumen Region.

A 58-year-old man has tested positive for skin anthrax after becoming infected by a sick lamb. According to Shumen Regional Health Inspectorate the alert has been received on Wednesday [11 Sep 2013]. The man has been admitted to the infectious diseases unit of the Shumen hospital. He was sent there by his GP. The infection happened earlier this month [September 2013] after he slaughtered a sick lamb.

The patient is being treated with antibiotics and is in good condition. His family and everyone with whom he had been in touch have been placed on antibiotics as well.

The slaughtered lamb has been sent to the incinerator. The yard has been disinfected and 1500 sheep, horses, cattle, and donkeys in the village have been vaccinated. The village has been put under a 15-day quarantine.

Samples have been sent to a Sofia laboratory for testing. The results are expected within 2 days.

--
Communicated by:
Sabine Zentis
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D-52385 Nideggen
Germany
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[This outbreak is to the west of Takach and separated by a couple of north-south roads. So we can presume that there is no direct rural communication. Which suggests that we are seeing but the tip of a series of livestock anthrax outbreaks in Shumen. That this farmer was infected from butchering a "sick lamb" may be a journalistic misidentification of the animal, as lambs are uncommonly affected; so it may well have been a wether (yearling castrated male) or a young ewe. Sheep are usually infected from grazing and secondary cases from licking the blood extravasated from anthrax carcasses -- the salty content is attractive.

There were 2 other reports on this outbreak (in Bulgarian) but both essentially identical with the posting above at http://www.24chasa.bg/Article.asp?ArticleId=2299009 and http://health.actualno.com/Myj-ot-shume ... 38397.html

Maps of Bulgaria can be seen at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/europe/bulgaria.jpg and http://healthmap.org/r/8rRG
For the location of Shumen see http://www.fallingrain.com/world/BU/54/Shumen.html;
for Yasenkovo see http://www.fallingrain.com/world/BU/54/Yasenkovo.html;
for Takach/Takatsch/Tukach see http://www.fallingrain.com/world/BU/54/Tukach.html
- Mod.MHJ]

ANTHRAX - ARMENIA (03): (LORI, SIRAK), HUMAN, LIVESTOCK
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Date: 7 Oct 2013
Source: Arka News Agency [edited]
http://arka.am/en/news/society/fifteen_ ... h_anthrax/


15 people in Armenia's northern and northwestern regions of Lori and Shirak were hospitalized after local health authorities suspected they were infected with anthrax, the health ministry said.

According to a statement placed on the ministry's official website, 3 people in the village of Artagyuh, Lori region were found on 4 Oct 2013 to have cutaneous (skin) anthrax. This caused health authorities to examine the village residents and discover 8 more people suspected to be infected with the disease. Lab tests confirmed that 7 of them had cutaneous anthrax. The ministry said laboratory investigations are continuing.

These people have been hospitalized and are receiving appropriate treatment. The doctors said their condition is moderate with an improvement trend.

A deeper study found that the probable cause of the infection was eating the meat of dead animals. Part of that meat had been sent to Gyumri. A subsequent study in Gyumri found 4 people suspected to be infected with anthrax. They were hospitalized; the laboratory research has not yet been completed. The ministry said its experts are working to detect and localize people with anthrax.

Before that, the skin form of anthrax was discovered in Armenia in March 2013 in 2 people. One of them was a citizen of Georgia.

Several cases of animals with anthrax were reported in October 2012 in Gegharkunik province. This was followed by hospitalization of 21 people with symptoms of the disease. Laboratory studies confirmed the presence of anthrax in one of them. In early November 2012 (last year), the disease was detected in a resident of Ushi village in Aragatsotn. Reports about anthrax-infected animals came also from Tavush and Armavir regions.

Anthrax is an infection caused by bacteria called _Bacillus anthracis_. These bacteria make spores, a form of the germ covered by a protective shell. The spores can live for years in the soil, and they cause anthrax when they enter the body. Although the disease is most common in farm animals -- like sheep, cows, and goats -- there is a small chance that people can get it as well, usually from some type of contact with an animal or part of an animal that had anthrax.

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[If these 15 human cases in 2 provinces had not been noted, one must suspect that the background livestock outbreak would never have come to official notice. This over dependence on public health surveillance means that the basic problem of livestock anthrax goes essentially unregarded and ignored, which is the most expensive way of controlling this zoonotic disease. It is an infectious disease of animals that spills over into humans and stops spreading among that species.

The livestock Sterne vaccine is both effective and cheap, and its proper use not only protects animals, it also protects humans without having to expensively vaccinate that latter group. And from the outbreaks this year and last [2012-2013], it is abundantly clear that the disease is widespread, not "sporadic," as officially claimed, in Armenian livestock.

For a map of Armenia showing Lori and Sirak, go to:
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/commonwe ... o-2002.jpg. - Mod.MHJ

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/r/1HT_.]

ANTHRAX - ARMENIA (05): HUMAN, BOVINE, SUSPECTED, REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
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Date: 28 Oct 2013
Source: ARKA News Agency [edited]
http://arka.am/en/news/economy/new_case ... h_ministry_/


A patient diagnosed as having cutaneous (skin) anthrax was admitted to Yerevan's Nork hospital (specializing in the treatment of infectious diseases) on Saturday [26 Oct 2013], the health ministry said. It said the preliminary diagnosis was confirmed by laboratory tests.

The ministry described the case as of "moderate severity," saying the patient received necessary treatment and that there is an improvement in his health.

It said specialists of the health and agriculture ministries took necessary actions to find the source of infection. It said consumption of infected meat was a possible cause of the infection.

In early October this year [2013], 15 people in the northern and northwestern regions of Lori and Shirak were hospitalized after local health authorities suspected they were infected with anthrax. Three people in the village Artagyuh, Lori region were found on 4 Oct 2013 to have cutaneous (skin) anthrax. This caused health authorities to examine the village residents, and they discovered 8 more people suspected to be infected with the disease. Lab tests confirmed that 7 of them had cutaneous anthrax. A deeper study found that the probable cause of the infection was eating the meat of dead animals.

Several cases of animals with anthrax were reported in October 2012 in Gegharkunik province.

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[Unfortunately, this report only states where the patient was hospitalised, the Nork Hospital in Yerevan, located at: http://www.fallingrain.com/world/AM/11/Nork.html. Where the patient was infected is not stated. Yerevan is a distance from Lori and Sirak, where the previous cases were, close to the northwest border.

For a map of Armenia showing Lori and Sirak, go to: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/commonwe ... o-2002.jpg. For the site of the village of Artagyuh, see the OIE report via ProMED-mail archived post 20131024.2019231. - Mod.MHJ

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/r/1HT_.]

ANTHRAX - ZAMBIA: (WESTERN) HUMAN, BOVINE
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Date: Thu 21 Nov 2013
Source: The Post Online [edited]
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_art ... leId=40953


A suspected anthrax disease [outbreak] has broken out in Nakayembe area, killing 3 herds of cattle and leaving 9 people admitted to Nakayembe Rural Health Centre in the newly created Luampa district of Western Province.

In an interview, Kaoma district senior environmental health technologist, Akatama Inambao, confirmed that 9 patients admitted to Nakayembe Rural Health Centre developed localised symptoms of swelling of upper lips, legs, face and heads. He said all the 9 patients were treated by the use of antibiotics and were now out of danger. He has since appealed to the residents of Nakayembe and other surrounding areas where anthrax is rife to avoid eating meat of an anthrax-infested animal as the disease was contagious.

Inambao said a team of health experts had already been dispatched to the area in order to contain the disease and carry out health education meetings on the dangers of eating anthrax-infested meat and its devastating effects.

And Kaoma district agricultural coordinator Aubrey Chanda said the veterinary officers were securing vaccines in order to vaccinate all the cattle in Nakayembe area of Mulwa ward in Luampa district, so that the outbreak does not spread to other areas. Chanda said the department would strengthen awareness programmes to enlighten residents and cattle farmers about the dangers of consuming the anthrax-infested meat. He said any dead animal should be burnt and buried so that the disease could be brought to manageable levels in the district.

[byline: Darlingtone Kabambe]

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[Anthrax is a constant cattle risk in Western Province, with 2 outbreaks and 6 cases in 2006; in 2007, 4 outbreaks, 15 bovine cases, and 6 human cases; 2008, 6 outbreaks, 14 cattle affected; 2009, 3 outbreaks, 5 cattle affected; 2010, 6 outbreaks, 25 cattle affected; 2011, 1 outbreak, 1 cow affected; and in 2012, 2 outbreaks and 2 cattle affected.

From the description, all the human cases in Nakayambe had cutaneous anthrax. One of the social aspects of cattle rearing in Africa is that a poor rural branch of the family will be tasked with rearing the rich family member's cattle. And he has to account for every missing animal when this city relative comes to see how he is getting on. Thus each carcass gets skinned, the head put on the roof, and the meat dried. This makes for severe exposure. Another aspect is that with rural poverty, sick and dead animals get butchered and the meat sold to minimise the financial loss -- which is why cattle vaccination programmes have a high social benefit. Whether the contaminated meat was caught before it was bought by others is not mentioned in this report, so I think we can assume it was not.

To find Luampa District in Zambia's Western Province, go to http://www.fallingrain.com/world/ZA/03/Luampa.html. A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map is available at: http://healthmap.org/r/9e7C. - Mod.MHJ]