Some menaces are generally overlooked in our country. The bovine disease like anthrax is one such bug that goes round almost every year. The recrudescence of anthrax has already started this year. It has been noticed that some particular areas of norther n-districts are vulnerable and anthrax breaks out there regularly.
According to a report published in an English daily on Tuesday, eight out of 12 people, whose samples were collected from Pirgachha upazila of Rangpur with anthrax symptoms, tested positive at the laboratory of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease control and Research (IEDCR). The agency collected the samples after two people had died in Pirgachyha in August and September with symptoms resembling anthrax. In early September, the Department of Livestock also detected anthrax in frozen beef in the same areas.
Panic, as is usual, gripped people in Pirgachha after the death of two persons with anthrax symptoms and the death of more than 100 cows over the past three months. One farmer reportedly slaughtered a sick cow and developed fever and sores the next day and he died at hospital on August 9. An elderly woman fell ill after handling a sick cow and eating in cooked meat and cooking meat from a sick cow and died on September 6.
Since 2010, anthrax has been reported every year from different areas of Bangladesh, particularly in the northern region. The country experienced a major outbreak in 2015, and IEDCR initiated surveillance for anthrax in 2018. Anthrax is an acute bacterial infection that affects both humans and animals. The infection is usually fatal for affected animals. While the fatality rate in humans is low, the infection can turn deadly if not promptly diagnosed and treated. Humans can contract the disease through skin abrasions, ingestion of undercooked meat, or inhalation of spores, with an incubation period ranging from one to 20 days.
We note with alarm that a large number of cattlehead had died at different times and people had handled the sick cows, the disease may spread further. This livestock disease is transmitted to people if they get exposed to infected cattle or consume their meat. The fact that contracting this disease may be fatal is not seriously taken by the people for lack of knowledge. In some cases, they slaughter the sick and infected animals either to eat or to sell the meat in market at cheaper price. Gullible country folk buy such meat and consequently get infected by eating it only to prove that cheap goods are dear in the long run. The perturbing problem is that it is difficult to ascertain how many animals are infected and slaughtered for selling their meat in market. To sell meat of sick animal is tantamount to crime, but there is none to punish such offenders. Obviously there is no monitoring of the quality of meat in markets especially in rural areas where poor people may buy cheaper but infected meat and thus invite disaster.
Immunizing animals against anthrax is indispensable in areas where there is a history of previous infections. There should be extensive research to trace the causes of its repeated outbreak at those places. However, a major vaccination programme should be launched in Pirgachha upazila to fight the disease that can cause pneumonia, blood infection and ultimate death. People should also promptly treat skin abrasions if they have any. The cattle owners should have their animals vaccinated and treat those with antimicrobial drugs. To combat the disease this is the primary objective of the authorities concerned which cannot be done away with.
