The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development is calling on game and livestock farmers around areas endemic to Anthrax such as Schmidtsdrift, Campbell, Delportshoop Barkley West to be on the alert this summer season for possible cases.
What is Anthrax?
Anthrax is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium called Bacillus anthracis. Anthrax is primarily a disease of herbivorous animals, although all mammals, including humans, and at least some avian species can contract it. Mortality can be very high, especially in herbivores.
How does anthrax look like and how is it spread?
The clinical history usually describes the animal to be in good health a few hours before death. The animal will often have terminal convulsions, collapse and then die. Following death, unclotted blood may sometimes be seen to exude from the anus, vulva, nostrils, and/or mouth. Incomplete rigor mortis is also common.
If the carcass is opened by people or scavengers, the vegetative form of B. anthracis is released from the acidic environment of decay and produces spores that create foci of contamination and these spores survive in the soil for years.
Some sporulation may have occurred in fluids exuded through natural body openings, and, particularly if a carcass has been opened by scavengers, many spores may be dispersed into the environment.
Runoff water, as seen with rains, can disperse the spores to dams and pans and create concentrated sources of infection in other areas.
The infection is usually acquired by drinking contaminated water, grazing on contaminated pastures or when animals lick contaminated skins, bones and carcasses.
In humans, anthrax is usually spread in one of three ways:
1. Skin – the infection occurs when the bacteria enters a cut or scratch in the skin. The symptoms include itching initially and then a large boil or sore appears,
2. Inhalation – Some anthrax infections occur when people breathe in the spores of the bacteria. First symptoms include fever, fatigue, malaise and a cough or chest pain
3. Gastro-intestinal – some people may get anthrax by eating infected meat. Symptoms include fever, abdominal pain, watery bowel movements and vomiting.
How to protect yourself and your animals?
* Report suspected cases immediately to the nearest State Veterinarian or Animal Health Technician
* Do not open any carcass of a suspected anthrax case
* Never eat any meat of an animal that died of or suspected to have died of anthrax (As a general rule, do not eat any meat of dead animals unless slaughtered through a registered abattoir or hygienically slaughtered at home for own consumption)
* Always wear protective clothing when handling suspected carcasses
* The State Veterinarian will prescribe methods for disposal of carcasses once samples have been collected.
* Vaccinate your animals annually.
Act swiftly by reporting all suspect cases to the State Veterinary Office at 053 832 4241 or 083 452 9850. Farmers are cordiallyrequested not to open carcasses. Farmers that are seldomon their farms are requested to leave knowledgeable persons in charge.
Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Northern Cape Provincial Government
11 December 2009
Source: Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Northern Cape Provincial Government (http://www.agrinc.gov.za/)
