Anthrax ravages cows, humans in Uganda, Malawi, Zambia

Anthrax affects mainly cows

Five countries in east and southern Africa are in the middle of outbreaks of the anthrax disease, with more than 1,100 suspected cases and 30 deaths this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

A total of 1,166 suspected cases had been reported in Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. 37 cases had been confirmed by laboratory tests, according to the WHO, which also said the five countries have seasonal outbreaks every year, but Zambia was experiencing its worst since 2011 and Malawi reported its first human case this year. Uganda had reported 17 deaths and over 20 others hospitalised.

Uganda has since imposed a ban on the sale of beef products in central district of Kyotera district where the outbreak is believed to have originated. According to Kyotera district veterinary officer, John Mary Lutaaya, the outbreak was confirmed on November 26 but more than 40 cows died from the disease within the past two months.

Anthrax is highly infectious and usually affects livestock like cattle, sheep and goats, as well as wild herbivores. Humans can be infected if they are exposed to animals or contaminated animal products. Anthrax isn’t generally considered to be contagious between humans, although there have been rare cases of person-to-person transmission, WHO says.

Infected humans develop symptoms such as swollen limbs, difficulty in breathing, fever and blisters among others. Anthrax is caused by spore-forming bacteria and is sometimes associated with the weaponized version used in the 2001 attacks in the United States, when five people died and 17 others fell sick after being exposed to anthrax spores in letters sent through the mail.

Anthrax bacteria also occurs naturally in soil. In a separate assessment of the Zambia outbreak, which was the most concerning, WHO said that 684 suspected cases had been reported in the southern African nation as of November 20, with four deaths.

Human cases of anthrax had been reported in nine out of Zambia’s 10 provinces. In one instance, 26 people were suspected of contracting the disease from eating contaminated hippopotamus meat.

WHO said there was a high risk that the Zambian outbreak would spread to neighbouring countries. The outbreaks in all five countries were “likely being driven by multiple factors, including climatic shocks, food insecurity, low-risk perception and exposure to the disease through handling the meat of infected animals,” the WHO said.