DE FAAKTO OUTBREAK INTELLIGENCE
15 January 2019
ANTHRAX OUTBREAK TANZANIA-DISTRICT OF MOMBA
Momba District Medical Officer is reporting an Anthrax outbreak in the Momba region of southwestern Tanzania (Xinhua, 2019)
- 4 people have died from Anthrax
- 70 people have been hospitalized with the disease
- The source of the outbreak is believed to be consumption of meat from a cow that that died of Anthrax
What is Anthrax?
- A serious infectious disease
- The most serious complication of anthrax is inflammation of the membranes and fluid covering the brain and spinal cord, leading to massive bleeding (hemorrhagic meningitis) and death (Mayo Clinic, 2019)
- Caused by gram-positive, rod shaped bacteria known as bacillus anthracis
- Found in soil
- Affects animals-domestic & wild
- Global threat
- Transmission through infected animals or contaminated animal products
- Causes severe illness in humans & animals
Transmission
- Not contagious between humans
- Breathing in spores
- Consume food or water that is contaminated with spores
- Spores enter cut or scrape in the skin
Anthrax is more common in developing countries lacking veterinary health programs and is found in agricultural regions of:
- Central and South America
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Central and Southwestern Asia
- Southern and Eastern Europe
- The Caribbean
- Sporadic outbreaks in USA wild domestic grazing animals
Treatment
- Antibiotics are recommended to prevent infection in anyone exposed to the spores. Ciprofloxacin (Cipro), doxycycline (Monodox, Vibramycin, others) and levofloxacin (Levaquin) are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for post-exposure prevention of anthrax in adults and children (Mayo Clinic, 2019)
Anthrax Vaccine
- An anthrax vaccine for humans is available. The vaccine doesn’t contain live bacteria and can’t lead to infection, but it can cause side effects, ranging from soreness at the injection site to more-serious allergic reactions
- The vaccine isn’t intended for the general public. Instead, it’s reserved for military personnel, scientists working with anthrax and people in other high-risk professions (Mayo Clinic, 2019)
Resources
U.S. Center for Disease Control https://www.cdc.gov/anthrax/index.html
Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anthrax/symptoms-causes/syc-20356203
Xinhua http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-01/11/c_137734667.htm
