Wüstenschiff

ANTHRAX, HIPPOPOTAMUS - UGANDA (05): (KALANGALA)
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Date: Thu 29 Jul 2010
Source: The Telegraph (UK) [edited]
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... ganda.html>


More than 80 hippos have died in an anthrax outbreak in Uganda,
officials have said. The outbreak has killed 82 hippos and 9 buffalo
in the last month and a half [June-July 2010] in Queen Elizabeth
National Park.

Nicholas Kauta, the national anthrax task force spokesman, said no
humans were known to have contracted the deadly disease during the
outbreak and that tourism had been unaffected.

Anthrax spores occur naturally in soil and can remain dormant for
years. Drought, floods, or wind expose the spores and they can be
ingested when livestock graze close to the ground. Vaccines can
protect livestock from the disease, which is caused by the bacterium
_Bacillus anthracis_. Most forms of the disease are lethal.

A similar outbreak in Uganda in 2004 killed 300 hippos. At the time,
some scientists believed that the large scale of the infection was
caused by cannibalism.

Joseph Dudley, a biosecurity and agriculture analyst based in
Washington, was quoted in the New Scientist [magazine] as saying: "The
widespread mortality may be a result of the communal scavenging or
'cannibalism' of carcasses of anthrax-killed hippos by other hippos."
But other veterinarians and scientists believed the rapid spread of
anthrax was due to over-crowding in the park. Over-population leads to
fights over resources, and anthrax can be spread via battle wounds,
the scientific journal reported.

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[The suggestion that this epidemic is facilitated by over-crowding has
a precedent. A similar epidemic in eastern Zambia some 15 years ago
followed upon the numbers of hippos in the affected area quadrupling.
The river through the affected national park was blocked in a number
of places by the floating carcasses of dead hippo. - Mod.MHJ]

[Photo of hippo dead from anthrax:
<http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-2Z_FyL94P4/S ... sample.jpg>
- Mod.JW]

ANTHRAX, HUMAN, BOVINE - KAZAKHSTAN (05): (ALMATY), SUSPECTED, REQUEST
FOR INFORMATION
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Date: Fri 30 Jul 2010
Source: Profinance.kz [Machine-translated from Russian, edited, abridged]
<http://profinance.kz/2010/07/30/print:p ... stane.html>

An outbreak of anthrax has been recorded in the Almaty region in late
July [2010], revealing 4 [human] cases. As it turned out, several
local residents neglected veterinary examination of an affected cow,
the meat being sold. Currently, the veterinary services are carrying
out investigations to discover the contaminated meat, which could
reach the market near Almaty.

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[Unfortunately it's the same old Central Asian story. Rural veterinary
services are weak to nonexistent, which fosters such events.
Apparently there have been a number of outbreaks recently in
Kazakhstan, not just around Almaty, which have not been reported. -
Mod.MHJ]

ANTHRAX, HUMAN, LIVESTOCK - INDIA (04): (ORISSA)
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Date: Fri 30 July 2010
Source: Sify News, Indo Asian News Service (IANS) report [edited]
<http://sify.com/news/suspected-anthrax- ... fcegf.html>


At least 25 people, including 6 women and a child, have fallen ill
with suspected anthrax contracted from dead animals in Orissa's
Sundergarh district, health official said Friday [30 Jul 2010]

The people found with the infection are residents of Dukatola village
and its nearby hamlets, some 500 km [310 mi] from state capital
Bhubaneswar, chief district medical officer Bikrant Kindo told IANS.
'All of them are responding to treatment and recovering,' he said.

About 2 days ago 2 residents of the area came to the hospital with
anthrax symptoms. 'We sent health officials to the area and found more
people having the similar symptoms,' he said. Health officials
including doctors are camping [staying] in the area and treating the
patients at their homes, he said.

Blood samples of at least 5 patients were sent Friday [30 Jul 2010] to
the Veer Surendra Sai (VSS) Medical college and Hospital at Burla in
Sambalpur district, Kindo said.

Dukatola village and its nearby hamlets have a population of about 500
and most of them belong to Oraon tribe. Kindo said the villagers told
them they had consumed the meat of dead animals recently.

Anthrax is a bacterial disease that mostly affects animals and spreads
to humans through consumption of contaminated meat. Kindo said the
district has a history of anthrax infections.

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[One of the problems with diagnosing anthrax in humans is the speed
with which they start self-treating with antibiotics. This can make it
next to impossible to culture anything as the vegetative cells of
_Bacillus anthracis_ are normally very sensitive to antibiotics.
Orissa has long been plagued with this disease -- see refs. below. -
Mod.MHJ]

[Maps of India are available at
<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_e ... _pol01.jpg> and
<http://healthmap.org/r/00uO>.
Sundergarh district can be seen on the map at
<http://www.mapsofindia.com/maps/orissa/orissa.htm>. - Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]

ANTHRAX, HIPPOPOTAMUS - UGANDA (06): (QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK) OIE
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Date: Wed 4 Aug 2010
Source: OIE, WAHID (World Animal Health Information Database), weekly
disease information 2010; 23(31) [edited]
<http://www.oie.int/wahis/public.php?pag ... ortid=9574>


Anthrax, Uganda
---------------
Information received on (and dated) 4 Aug 2010 from Mr William
Olaho-Mukani, Head, Ministry of Agriculture, State Department of
Veterinary Medicine, Entebbe, Uganda

Summary
Report type: immediate notification
Start date: 8 Jun 2010
Date of 1st confirmation of the event: 15 Jun 2010
Report date: 4 Aug 2010
Date submitted to OIE: 4 Aug 2010
Reason for notification: reoccurrence of a listed disease
Date of previous occurrence: 2005
Manifestation of disease: clinical disease
Causal agent: _Bacillus anthracis_
Nature of diagnosis: laboratory (basic)
This event pertains to a defined zone within the country

New outbreaks
Outbreak 1: Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bushenyi
Date of start of the outbreak: 8 Jun 2010
Outbreak status: continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit: not applicable
Affected animals
Species / Susceptible / Cases / Deaths / Destroyed / Slaughtered
Wild species / 2616 / 51 / 0 / 0
Affected population: hippopotamuses and buffaloes

Outbreak 2: Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kasese
Date of start of the outbreak: 8 Jun 2010
Outbreak status: continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit: not applicable
Affected animals
Species / Susceptible / Cases / Deaths / Destroyed / Slaughtered
Wild species / 2616 / 50 / 0 / 0
Affected population: hippopotamuses and buffaloes

Summary of outbreaks
Total outbreaks: 2
Total animals affected
Species / Susceptible / Cases / Deaths / Destroyed / Slaughtered
Wild species / 5232 / ** / 101 / 0 / 0
Outbreak statistics
Species / Apparent morbidity rate / Apparent mortality rate /
Apparent case fatality rate / Proportion susceptible animals lost*
Wild species / ** / 1.93 percent / ** / 1.93 percent
* Removed from the susceptible population through death, destruction,
and/or slaughter
** Not calculated because of missing information

Epidemiology
Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection: unknown or
inconclusive. _B. anthracis_ spores in the soil.
Epidemiological comments: so far, the disease has been reported in
wild animals. To date, 92 hippopotamuses and 9 buffaloes have been
reported dead. The National Park extends into 2 administrative units,
the districts of Kasese and Bushenyi, hence the quantitative figures
have been subdivided.

Anthrax outbreaks within Queen Elizabeth National Park normally occur
during the dry season when pastures are scarce. The last outbreak of
anthrax in hippopotamuses in Uganda occurred in this park in
2004-2005; a total of 300 hippopotamuses died (10 percent mortality rate).

Currently massive sensitization of the public has been undertaken.
The dead animals are being buried in a 3-meter-deep [10 ft] pit, and
a surveillance programme has been instituted in and around the park.
Monitoring of the disease in domestic animals around the affected
areas is ongoing.

Control measures
Measures applied: no vaccination; no treatment of affected animals.
Measures to be applied: vaccination in response to the outbreak(s).

Diagnostic test results
Laboratory name and type: National Animal Disease Diagnostic and
Epidemiology Centre (national laboratory)
Tests and results
Species / Test / Test date / Result
Wild species / bacteriological examination / 15 Jun 2010 / Positive

Future reporting
The event is continuing. Weekly follow-up reports will be submitted.

Map of outbreak locations
[The location of current outbreaks can be seen on the map included in
the OIE report at the source URL above].

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ANTHRAX, HUMAN - KYRGYZSTAN (02): (OSH) SUSPECTED
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Date: Tue 17 Aug 2010
Source: 24.kg News Agency [in Russian, trans. Corr.ATS, edited]
<http://24.kg/community/80768-v-kara-suu ... lasti.html>


Two men in the Kara-Suu rayon [district] of Osh oblast [region] are
suspected of having anthrax, the Ministry of Health announced.
Samples were taken for testing and the possible focus of the
infection is subjected to preventive and anti epidemic measures.
[Presumably clean up of the shade-tree slaughter and butchering of a
sick animal, and the vaccination of the livestock in the village. - Mod.MHJ]

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[With the ongoing unrest in SE Kyrgyzstan and the lack of control of
this disease in the livestock in the adjoining part of Uzbekistan,
such events as this will continue to occur. - Mod.MHJ]

[Osh region can be located on the HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive
map of Kyrgyzstan at <http://healthmap.org/r/03xt>. - Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]

ANTHRAX, HUMAN, BOVINE - KENYA (02): (CENTRAL)
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Date: Mon 30 Aug 2010
Source: The Nation [edited]
<http://www.nation.co.ke/News/regional/M ... 27fmwiz/-/>


Man dies after eating meat infected with anthrax
------------------------------------------------
One person died and 8 others were taken to hospital after eating
contaminated meat. The [fatal] victim was [a 40-year-old man] from
Nyanduma, Kiambu.

His widow said he started complaining of stomachache shortly after
arriving home from the shopping centre where he had eaten the meat.
"He started to complain of stomach pain and we took him to a clinic
where we were advised to take him to Kiambu hospital but he died on
the way," she said.

Those hospitalised are said to be in stable condition. Unconfirmed
reports said more than 20 people were treated at the district hospital
and discharged.

"The meat was eaten by about 150 people who had attended a burial
ceremony and most of them have travelled back and we do not know if
the meat affected them," said Mr Gabriel Waruinge, the local chief.

Mr Waruinge said a health officer who inspected and certified the meat
fit for consumption and the butcher who sold it had been arrested.

Mr John Mwai, a veterinarian, who was treating the animal for anthrax,
said he had warned the locals against eating the meat but they ignored
him.

The butcher is alleged to have slaughtered the animal and sold the
beef to unsuspecting customers.

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[As classical an account of gastro-enteric anthrax as one could ask
for. Only recently has anthrax reporting in Kenya reflected reality.
Cattle outbreaks are most commonly reported in the Central Province
and around Nairobi, which may be more a function of reporting bias.

During 2005 through 2008, bovine outbreaks were reported in Nairobi
(19 outbreaks), Central (36), Rift Valley (13), Coast (4), and Eastern
(8 ) provinces.

To see a map of Kenya, showing the provinces, go to
<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/africa/kenya_pol88.jpg>.
To find Kiambu, Central Province, go to
<http://www.maplandia.com/kenya/central/kiambu/> and
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiambu_District>.
The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Kenya can be seen at
<http://healthmap.org/r/04kq>. - Mod.MHJ]

ANTHRAX, HUMAN - KYRGYZSTAN (03): (OSH) CONFIRMED
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Date: Tue 7 Sep 2010
Source: 24.kg News Agency [edited]
<http://eng.24.kg/community/2010/09/07/13468.html>


S Kyrgyzstan strengthens preventive measures against anthrax
------------------------------------------------------------
The press-service of the Mayor's Office of Osh city [in south west
Kyrgyzstan] informs about strengthening preventive measures against
anthrax.

The infection control teams have called for daily monitoring of meat
on the local markets. At this time, inspectors have already closed 12
butcheries for sanitary code violation, and 4 butcheries have to
suspend their work. Moreover, 3 owners of butcher's stores have been
imposed a fine at the amount of KGS 1000 [approx USD 21] . Another 6
stores were closed due to repair work.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations has distributed information
about suspected anthrax outbreak. Sanitary Service of the city
conducted cleansing works. Meat of a calf was removed and transferred
to the laboratory of the regional veterinary services. In addition,
doctors of the Medical Service are raising public awareness among the
population of the southern capital.

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[I asked my colleague Dr Asankadyr Junushov, D/Biotechnology
Institute of National Academy of Sciences of Kyrgyzstan, for
background. He replied (13 Sep 2010): "The information you read is
true. Those measures are preventive ones. In general, the situation
in the South is complicated. In Jalalabad region 7 new anthrax foci
were detected. From one focus (soil sample) we isolated _Bacillus
anthracis._ Late this week I will travel to Jalalabad and Osh regions
to monitor and do sampling for our research."

Clearly an ongoing problem in the SW which suffers from constant
spill over from the many affected farms in neighbouring Uzbekistan.
And thus the Kyrgyz ongoing need for a preventive vaccination
programme in the region. And logically if the Osh mayor's office has
called for active inspection of the city's butcher's shops he must
have evidence of risk, such as, recent human/animal cases related to
unsupervised slaughter of sick animals. Presumably the 2 suspect
cases last month (August 2010) have been confirmed. - Mod.MHJ]

[Osh region can be located on the HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive
map of Kyrgyzstan at
<http://healthmap.org/r/03xs>. - Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]

ANTHRAX, HIPPOPOTAMUS - UGANDA (07): (QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK)
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[1]
Date: 7 Oct 2010
Source: New Vision [edited]
<http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/18/734388>


A group of residents of Kikorongo sub-county in Kasese district have
reportedly rejected the government's offer to vaccinate their cattle. The
residents are suspicious that it might be a ploy by the Uganda Wildlife
Authority (UWA) to reduce the number of cattle being grazed from the Queen
Elizabeth National Park (QENP). On Sunday [3 Oct 2010], a resident said:
"Some of us could not allow our animals to be vaccinated when UWA has
always fought hard to make sure that our animals leave the edges of the
park at whatever cost."

A source who preferred anonymity at Kashenyi fishing landing site recalled
that before the vaccination exercise, a resident, who had lost his cattle
to the wild animals, poisoned the meat, which killed many wild animals in
the park.

But according to the Queen Elizabeth National Park chief warden, Tom
Okello, the vaccination exercise against anthrax was being conducted by a
team from the department of entomology in the Ministry of Agriculture.

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[Sometimes you can't win for trying. Reading between the lines, one might
assume that anthrax deaths are continuing in the QENP. In Africa, it is a
constant battle between the park game wardens and the bordering villages,
which will move their animals into the park to graze. - Mod.MHJ]

******
[2]
Date: 10 Oct 2010
Source: Uganda People News [edited]
<http://www.ugpulse.com/articles/daily/n ... +&ID=16034>


Ugandans living near game parks have been warned against eating meat from
dead animals to avoid contracting anthrax. Anthrax recently hit Queen
Elizabeth National Game Park, killing over 100 hippos and buffalos.

The chairman of the national anthrax taskforce, Dr Nicholas Kauta, says the
people should avoid eating meat from dead animals to ensure anthrax does
not kill human beings.

Addressing people living near Queen Elizabeth National Game Park today [10
Oct 2010], Dr Kauta cautioned them to avoid grazing animals in the national
parks and touching carcasses of dead animals.

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[This would reinforce the suspicion of ongoing anthrax cases in and around
the QENP. - Mod.MHJ

The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Uganda is available at
<http://healthmap.org/r/00W*>. - Mod.SH]

ANTHRAX, HIPPOPOTAMUS - UGANDA (08 ): (KALANGALA) SUSPECTED
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Date: 17 Oct 2010
Source: Ultimate Media Consult [edited]
<http://www.ugpulse.com/articles/daily/n ... a&ID=16149>


Two hippos have died of suspected anthrax at Nkibanga island in
Kalangala district. The district is surrounded by Lake Victoria. The
death of the hippos brings the death toll to 14 since the beginning
of July 2010.

The MP for Kyamuswa, Moses Kabuusu, has said the district leaders
have not established whether the animals have died of anthrax.

Recently, many hippos died of suspected anthrax in Western Uganda.
Uganda Wildlife Authority is investigating the death of the hippos.

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ANTHRAX, WILDLIFE - SOUTH AFRICA: (LIMPOPO)
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Date: 21 Oct 2010
Source: Limpopo Agriculture [edited]
<http://www.info.gov.za/speech/DynamicAc ... &tid=22901>


Anthrax outbreak in wild life in Maruleng
-----------------------------------------
The veterinary services within the Limpopo Department of Agriculture
(LDA) report that anthrax was diagnosed in wildlife in the Maruleng
Municipality under Mopani District Municipality. This is an acute
disease caused by a bacterium, _Bacillus anthracis_. It affects all
terrestrial (land) animals and is mostly lethal. The organism forms
spores which can be taken in by inhalation, ingestion or through the
skin. Ingestion is the most common route of infection.

It can also spread to humans by direct contact with infected material
when handling carcasses. Anthrax should always be suspected where an
animal dies suddenly showing dark, non-clotting blood from its
natural openings. Most bacteria inside the body of a dead animal are
destroyed upon the death of the animal, but will sporulate and form
spores which are hard to destroy if the animal is opened up and the
bacteria are exposed to the air. Dead animals should thus not be cut
open. For any suspicious cases, call a local veterinarian or any
veterinary official who will then handle the case appropriately.

Livestock should be vaccinated on a regular basis and meat from dead
animals should not be consumed. Game species should also be
considered for vaccination. Livestock in communal areas is being
vaccinated for free by veterinary officials. Commercial farmers
should vaccinate at their own expense, and should also contact the
local veterinary offices if they experience challenges.

The LDA is optimistic that with the cooperation of all stakeholders,
the community and farmers, this disease should be brought under
control.

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[Maruleng is on the western boundary of the Kruger National Park and
the province has a number of smaller parks. Wildlife anthrax is a
problem of millenia in Southern Africa and until a cheap oral vaccine
can be found, it will remain so. A constant problem is that owners of
marginal herds around parks will take their animals into the parks,
against official instructions to the contrary, to make use of the
grazing. They will be brought out at night bringing infections with
them.

An additional 2 local papers are carrying reports:
<http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/articl ... ts-Limpopo>
<http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/ ... o-20101021>

To find Maruleng, go to:
<http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=il>
- Mod.MHJ]

[The interactive HealthMap/ProMED map for Limpopo is available at:
<http://healthmap.org/r/011w> - CopyEd.EJP]

ANTHRAX, WILDLIFE - SOUTH AFRICA: (KRUGER NATIONAL PARK)
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Date: 5 Nov 2010
Source: Siyabona Africa [edited]
<http://www.krugerpark.co.za/krugerpark- ... 25276.html>


Anthrax outbreak in Kruger
--------------------------
An anthrax outbreak in the Kruger National Park (KNP) claimed at
least 65 animals in September 2010. The actual [number of] deaths
could be much higher as carcasses are not easily found and the park
has only one dedicated team on the ground. The 1st case was noted in
May, and since then, the disease has spread along the rivers and
spruits in the northern parts of the park (Shingwedzi area), a
pattern typically associated with anthrax.

"While anthrax may evoke horror images of letter bombs and terror
attacks, it is not a disease generally associated with human deaths.
In the KNP, anthrax poses no threat to tourists as people can only be
infected through contact with an infected animal," says At Dekker,
lab technician of the state veterinary department based in Skukuza.
According to Dr Valerius de Vos (professor extraordinary), veterinary
ecologist and renowned anthrax expert, the disease is an integral
part of the eco-system and, though the present outbreak is closely
monitored, it is not regarded as something out of the ordinary. Dr de
Vos, who, while he was employed in the KNP and had studied the
disease for 40 years, found spores on 250 year old bones in the Pafuri area.

Anthrax is endemic to the Pafuri region of Kruger and has its own
peculiar pattern and cycles as observed by Dr de Vos over many years.
An infected animal sets the cycle in motion, which is then sustained
and spread by blow flies and animals feeding on infected foliage.
Animals with a phosphate and calcium shortage do tend to chew on old
bones. Anthrax outbreaks occur in 10 to 20 year intervals in Kruger,
depending on several factors such as rainfall and population density.
The last outbreak was towards the end of 2009 in the Pafuri region
north of the Levuvhu river when about 150 animals died.

While most animals are susceptible to the disease, kudu, waterbuck,
roan antelope and buffalo are more vulnerable to infection due to
their feeding habits. Birds cannot be affected, but vultures,
especially, are known as carriers of the spore. After feeding on an
infected carcass, vultures wash themselves and defecate in shallow,
stagnant pools and so shed millions of spores in the water where the
spores then usually settle at the bottom of the pool. The herd
activity of buffalo in these pools stirs the spores to the surface
where, mostly the bigger bulls drink. This year, notably half of the
number of carcasses found was buffalo.

[Byline: Lynette Straus]

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[The KNP takes anthrax seriously though this report rather downplays
it because of tourists. They have outstanding data going back many
decades. For a long time anthrax outbreaks in the Pafuri drainage
were Group B strains but following extensive flooding the Group B
spores were washed away and replaced by Group A strains spreading up
from the central parts of the KNP.

The best descriptions I know of the epidemiology of wildlife anthrax
in the KNP are Smith et al. 1999 "Meso-scale ecology of anthrax in
southern Africa: a pilot study of diversity and clustering," Journal
of Applied Microbiology, 1999, 87: 204-207; and Smith et al. 2000.
"Bacillus anthracis diversity in Kruger National Park," Journal of
Clinical Microbiology 38(10):3780-3784.

Anyone thinking that vulture contamination of their bathwater is
limited to southern Africa should think again. We have recovered
anthrax spores from the sediment in a Texas cattle trough, albeit a
shallow and narrow one, used by turkey vultures. - Mod.MHJ]

ANTHRAX, WILDLIFE - SOUTH AFRICA (02): (KRUGER NATIONAL PARK)
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Sent: Tue 9 Nov 2010
From: Peter Turnbull [edited]
<peterturnbull@tesco.net>


Vultures do not deserve castigation as spreaders of anthrax
-----------------------------------------------------------
I refer to the 5 Nov 2010 item "Anthrax, wildlife - South Africa: (Kruger
Natl Park) 20101105.4011" implying, in paragraph 4, that vultures play a
major role in transmission of anthrax. This unfortunately has become a
platitude stated all too frequently, based purely on assumption and not on
scientific evidence. It is doing much damage to the concerted effort by the
many concerned ecologists desperately trying to save Old World vulture
species from extinction.

I extract the following from an article on this issue written by myself and
due in the next issue of the BirdLife Botswana newsletter:

Vultures, in demolishing the fresh carcass of an animal that has died of
anthrax, play a very important role in reducing the environmental
contamination left by the carcass. The more vultures at a carcass, the
faster the carcass is consumed, and the less is the chance of sporulation,
residual contamination, and also of spread of the organism by flies. Since
vultures rely on other vultures to detect carcasses, when their numbers
drop, so does their ability to find carcasses.

The vultures do, of course, get the infected blood and gore on their beaks
and feathers but they will go to nearby water to wash this off.
Unsporulated bacteria die off quickly in water (and within the vulture's
digestive system). So, although the water may derive some anthrax spore
contamination from bacteria that have started to sporulate, this will be
low. Bacteriological tests have proved how difficult it is to detect
anthrax spores in such bodies of water. By the time the birds are airborne
again, numbers of spores on their feet, beaks, feathers, and in their guts
is back to zero or very low and well below normal infectious doses of
animals, and constitute a close to zero risk of transmitting the disease.
Again there is scientific evidence to support this.

Vultures are in serious decline in Asia and Africa from numerous human-made
causes -- habitat destruction, deliberate and inadvertent poisoning,
capture for traditional medicines, drowning in reservoirs, power line
crashes, electrocution, and so on. In India this is believed responsible
for substantial increases in rats and of feral dog populations with
consequent rises in the numbers of rabies and distemper cases.

So, actually, as well as reducing residual contamination at the site of an
anthrax carcass and minimizing fly-borne transmission, vultures have a
significantly wider role in the overall health of the ecosystem. It should
not to be forgotten also that circling vultures have always been, and
continue to be, the best signal to farmers that deaths have occurred within
their boundaries, enabling prompt action as needed.

In summary, vultures are not deserving of the frequent castigation they get
as major spreaders of anthrax and, in that that leads to them being shot or
poisoned, it can be anticipated that the result will be increased, not
decreased, problems associated with anthrax and other diseases.

--
Peter Turnbull
<peterturnbull@tesco.net>
Salisbury, Wilts, UK

[While Peter has a valid point -- overemphasis these days in blaming
vultures -- they are not blame free. If they did not open any carcasses
there would be minimal sporulation because of decomposition and carcass
acidification. That is until the other scavenger species increased in
numbers and density to take advantage of the extra free meals. And they are
not tidy feeders.

Although vultures very rapidly remove all the soft tissues in a matter of a
few hours, their actions do result in ground contamination and the
remaining carcass is open to sporulation and blow fly activity
contaminating the nearby browse and forage. And if they have to fly a
distance to bathe, sporulation will be well started by the time they enter
the water. This was well described in the earlier Namibian and South
African anthrax literature when the vultures made use of cattle and the
newly installed game water troughs.

We need vultures just as we need dung beetles to tidy up the mess. In the
later stages of the 2001 anthrax epidemic on the Edwards Plateau in Texas,
so many animals had died (the game mortality was in the 60 to over 80 per
cent range) that the vultures had long given up eating them -- thus the
Texas and Cajun folk belief that vultures do not feed on anthrax carcasses.
The place stank. It was so bad that some ranchers left their homes and
moved into town. We need them but they are not cost free.

If there is blame to be cast, it is on lazy ranchers who do not vaccinate
their livestock and game ranchers who do not burn or burn dead anthrax
carcasses. I suspect that part of the reason for blaming vultures is to
distract attention away from farmer and rancher responsibilities. - Mod.MHJ

The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of South Africa is available at
<http://healthmap.org/r/00vd>. - Mod.SH]

ANTHRAX, HUMAN - TURKEY: (EAST) CUTANEOUS CASES
***********************************************
A ProMED-mail post
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
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Date: 18 Nov 2010
Source: Pediatric Dermatology [edited]
<http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1 ... x/abstract>
<http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1 ... 214.x/full>


Clinical Findings in Children with Cutaneous Anthrax in Eastern Turkey.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Akbayram S, Dogan M, Akgun C, Peker E, Selcuk Bektas M, Kaya A,
Caksen H, Oner AF.
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Yuzuncu University, Van, Turkey.

Abstract
Anthrax is a zoonosis produced by _Bacillus anthracis_. The aim of
this study was to evaluate the clinical findings, therapy, and
outcome in children with cutaneous anthrax (CA). Data on age, gender,
occupation, clinical symptoms and findings, location and type of
lesions, clinical history, laboratory findings, treatment, and
outcome were recorded from patients' medical records, retrospectively.

The study included 65 patients between 1 month and 18 years old (9.0
plus or minus 4.0 years), 37 patients (56.9 percent) were male and 28
(43.1 percent) were female. Most of the patients (89.1 percent) were
admitted in summer and autumn (p < 0.001). Of the 65 patients, 20
patients (30.8 percent) had received antibiotherapy before admission
to our hospital. All patients except one had a contact history with
infected animals. A 1-month-old patient had a contact history with
his mother who had CA.

On clinical examination, anthrax edema was noted in 36 (55.3 percent)
patients, anthrax pustule in 27 (41.5 percent), and anthrax edema and
anthrax pustule in 2 (3 percent) patients. Gram staining and culture
was positive for B. anthracis in 35 (53.8 percent) patients, and only
Gram staining was positive in 10 (15.4 percent) patients. In the
remaining 20 (30.8 percent) patients, the diagnosis was made by
clinical findings. Because the anthrax outbreak in Turkey was
associated with slaughtering or milking of ill cows, sheep, or goats,
and handling raw meat without taking any protective measures, persons
in the community must be educated about using personal protective
equipment during slaughtering of animals and handling of meat and
skins.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[Human anthrax is a serious zoonotic problem in Turkey. They
presently average some 300 to 150 human cases each year (the
incidence is slowing), with significant numbers of originating
outbreaks in cattle, and small ruminants, and the occasional equine
case. This is an informative cross-section of what can be expected
and the problems of diagnosis. Contagious cases are rare -- see the
infant infected by its mother -- but they can happen. For those
interested the full article is worth reading. - Mod.MHJ]

ANTHRAX - INDIA: (ORISSA), HUMAN CASES 2002-2010
*************************
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Date: Sun 2 Jan 2011
Source: Orissa Diary [edited]
<http://www.orissadiary.com/ShowDistrict ... p?id=23594>


The anthrax disease is increasing in Koraput District due to lack of
awareness among the tribals and negligence of the District Health
Administration and Animal Resources Department. During the last 9
years 45 [people have] died of anthrax, out of 439 [cases].

As per the information, in 1992 an anthrax patient was identified for
the 1st time in Sarapalli of Bandhugan Block. Thereafter anthrax
patients were identified in Narayanpatna, Laxmipur, Dasmantpur,
Baipariguda, Lamtaput, Semeliguda, Potangi, and Nandapur and many of
the them have died. But the district administration has taken no such
eye caching steps for anthrax. [As reported by the government, over
the last 9 years 45 people have died of anthrax, out of 439 affected
people. During 2002, 2 persons died out of 42 cases.] During 2003
[rest of sentence is missing. MHJ]

During 2004, 3 died out of 11 cases; during 2005, 6 died out of 52
cases. During 2006, 4 out of the affected 19 persons died. During the
2007, 11 of 55 affected died. During 2008, 8 out of 68 affected died.
During the year 2009, 3 of 59 affected died. During 2010, none of the
affected 22 persons died.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[Indian health statistics are not totally reliable. These numbers for
Orissa differ from what they have told us before but the story is the
same. Anthrax is a chronic problem in the state and the authorities
appear to be ignoring it, especially when it afflicts the tribals.
And it is not unlikely that the disease springs from the livestock
being fed contaminated feed, such as, oil cakes. This would make it
hop around from one district to another.

To find Orissa go to <http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/21/>.
Koraput district can be found on the map at the Diary report above or
at <http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/21/Koraput.html>. The
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of India is available at
<http://healthmap.org/r/01w2>. - Mod.MHJ]

ANTHRAX, HUMAN - SUDAN: (WEST BAHR AL-GHAZAL)
*******************************************
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Date: 12 Mar 2011
Source: Radio Miraya FM [edited]
<http://mirayafm.org/index.php?option=co ... Itemid=282>


The public health specialist of the Ministry of Health in Western
Bahr al-Ghazal state has revealed that 17 suspected cases of anthrax
disease in humans have been reported in the state. Martin Mayen said
that the 1st 2 suspected cases were reported in February 2011, and 15
more cases were reported to his office this week from Mabior Abiem
and Nyin Akok of Marial Bay Payam.

Anthrax is a bacterial disease that primarily affects animals but can
be transmitted to humans through consumption of infected meat or
contact with an infected carcass. Mayen urged people not to eat meat
from any animal unless they know how it died, and how long it has been dead.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Animal Resources and Fisheries in Lakes
State, Zakaria Magot Ater, told Radio Miraya that they have
vaccinated over 17 000 head of cattle since January this year [2011].
He said that the free cattle vaccination campaign targets all cattle
camps in the state. However, Ater said they are running short of
vaccines for anthrax, black quarter, and hemorrhagic septicemia.

--
Communicated by:
Sabine Zentis
Gut Laach, 52385 Nideggen, Germany
<http://www.cvlonghorns.de>
<CVLonghorns@aol.com>

[The Sudan has not reported any cases of anthrax in any species,
including humans, since 2005, so I suspect that this report reflects
the new southern independence from Khartoum and the latter's lack of
outreach during the continual fighting.

According to Google (<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakes_(state)>)
"Lakes is in the Bahr el Ghazal region of Sudan, in addition to
Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Western Bahr el Ghazal, and Warrap states,"
and so we can presume that Minister Ater's statement about running
short of vaccines relates to the area at risk. The small map in the
radio report shows Gharb Bahr Al Ghazal, Warab, and Al Buhayrat.

For a map of Sudan, go to:
<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/africa/sudan_pol00.jpg>. For Bahr
el-Ghazal, go to:
<http://www.fallingrain.com/world/SU/32/ ... hazal.html>. For
Marial Bai, go to:
<http://www.fallingrain.com/world/SU/32/Marial2.html>. - Mod.MHJ]
.............................................................sb/mhj/sh/msp