Agriculture Business Week

Can I get anthrax?
Yes. Anthrax can enter through a break or abrasion in the skin after direct contact with infected animals or their products, such as blood, wool or hides. Anthrax may also be transferred by biting flies. Within a few days, redness, and swelling occur followed by a black scab at the site of infection. The cutaneous (skin) form is most commonly seen with natural infections of anthrax.

Anthrax can also be inhaled (aerosol) in contaminated dust from the environment or animal products (e.g., hides, wool). This form of the disease is the most severe and can lead to death. Fever, coughing, severe chest pain and difficulty in breathing may occur. Early treatment with antibiotics is important.

People can become infected orally by eating undercooked meat of infected animals. Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and severe, bloody diarrhea may occur.

Who should I contact if I suspect anthrax?
In animals – Contact your veterinarian immediately. In humans – Contact your physician immediately.

How is the disease diagnosed?
Anthrax is diagnosed by examining blood (or other tissues) for the presence of the bacteria. Samples must be collected carefully to avoid contamination of the environment and to prevent human exposure to the bacteria. Blood samples from relatively fresh carcasses will contain large numbers of B. anthracis, which can be seen under a microscope, cultured and isolated in a laboratory, or detected by rapid tests, e.g., polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

How can I protect my animal from anthrax?
If you live in an area where anthrax naturally occurs, vaccination may help to protect your animals. According to Animal Industry Director Davinio P. Catbagan, anthrax vaccination is now on-going in the endemic areas of Department of Agriculture Regional Field Units 1 and 2 and in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). Anthrax spore vaccine is available at the Bureau of Animal Industry’s Laboratory Services Division (LSD) in Dili-man, Quezon City. The BAI produces 35,000 doses of anthrax vaccine yearly for distribution to endemic areas.

To avoid spread to carnivores, animals that have died of anthrax should be buried. Burial requires decontamination of the areas since the spores can continue to survive in the soil for decades and infect other animals.

How can I protect myself from anthrax?
Avoid contact with animals you suspect might have anthrax. Do not butcher animals you think might have died from anthrax. A vaccine is available for those with increased risk of exposure to anthrax because of their occupation (e.g., veterinarians, laboratory and military personnel, animal handlers).

What is being done to prevent or control this disease?
In addition to antibiotic therapy and immunization, specific control procedures are necessary to contain the disease and prevent its spread. In particular: the proper disposal of dead animals is critical; the carcass should not be opened, since exposure to oxygen will allow the bacteria to form spores; premises are to be quarantined until all susceptible animals are vaccinated and all carcasses disposed of preferably by incineration or alternatively by deep burial with quicklime (calcium oxide); and cleaning and disinfection are important as is control of insects and rodents.

Vaccination in endemic areas is very important. In fact effective vaccination against anthrax was first demonstrated by Louis Pasteur in 1881. The OIE spells out the requirements for the manufacture and quality control of animal vaccines in the Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines (Chapter 2.2.1). Although vaccination will prevent outbreaks veterinary services sometimes fail to vaccinate when the disease has not appeared for several years. But because the spores survive for such lengthy periods, the risk is always present.

Though anthrax is quite susceptible to antibiotic therapy, the clinical course is often so rapid that there may not be opportunity to treat affected animals. Early detection of outbreaks, quarantine of affected premises, destruction of diseased animals and fomites, and implementation of appropriate sanitary procedures of abattoirs and dairy factories will ensure the safety of products of animal origin intended for human consumption.

How is anthrax treated?
In most cases, early treatment can cure anthrax. The cutaneous (skin) form of anthrax can be treated with common antibiotics such as penicillin, tetracycline, erythromycin, and ciprofloxacin (Cipro). The pulmonary form of anthrax is a medical emergency. Early and continuous intravenous therapy with antibiotics may be lifesaving.

In a bioterrorism attack, individuals exposed to anthrax will be given antibiotics before they become sick. A vaccine exists but is not yet available to the general public. Most experts think that the vaccine will also be given to exposed individuals who are victims of a bioterrorist attack. As previously stated, anthrax is a reportable disease. That means that local or national health agencies (DoH and DA) must be notified if a case of anthrax is diagnosed. These agencies can better characterize the anthrax so that the affected individual can receive the most effective treatment for that particular organism.

By Jaime Abella Sison