Overview of Anthrax
Anthrax according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a serious infectious disease caused by gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria known as Bacillus anthracis. It occurs naturally in soil and commonly affects domestic and wild animals around the world. People can get sick with anthrax if they come in contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products. Anthrax can cause severe illness in both humans and animals.
How does Anthrax affect someone
- Breathing in spores,
- Eating food or drinking water that is contaminated with spores, or
- Getting spores in a cut or scrape in the skin.
Activities that Increase the Chances of one contracting Anthrax
- Eating raw or under-cooked meat from infected animals.
- Working with infected animal products.
Prevention
- Do not eat raw or under-cooked meat.
- Avoid contact with animal products and carcasses.
- Meat should be handle properly when slaughtered
- Avoid areas when animal carcasses are found.
Symptoms
- Fever and chills
- Chest Discomfort
- Shortness of breath
- Confusion or dizziness
- Cough
- Nausea, vomiting, or stomach pains
- Headache
- Sweats (often drenching)
- Extreme tiredness
- Body aches
- Fever and chills
- Swelling of neck or neck glands
- Sore throat
- Painful swallowing
- Hoarseness
- Nausea and vomiting, especially bloody vomiting
- Diarrhea or bloody diarrhea
If you experience more than two of these symptoms, kindly visit your nearest Health care provider.
One person has been reported dead from a suspected case of anthrax in the Binduri District of the Upper East Region. The death is attributed to consumption of carcass, eleven others have also been traced and identified.
Over two thousand (2,000) animals have been vaccinated in the Upper East Region as confirmed by the Upper East Regional Veterinary Office. The exercise, the Veterinary Director, Dr. Henry Nii Anang said in Bolgatanga was carried out in all District and Municipal to prevent further spread of the Anthrax disease.
Please note that Anthrax is NOT contagious. You cannot catch anthrax from another person the way you might catch a cold or the flu. In rare cases, person-to-person transmission has been reported with cutaneous anthrax, where discharges from skin lesions might be infectious.
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