Outbreak of Anthrax and its management in Bangalore rural district

Anthrax, an acute to per acute infectious disease Diagnosis, treatment and control measures of all domestic animals and human beings, is caused All the blood smears examined were positive for by Bacillus anthracis and characterized by septicemia Bacillus anthracis organisms. Smears showed and sudden death with the exudation of dark tarry characteristic McFadyean reaction characterized by colored and unclotted blood from the natural orifices. purple capsule around the gram positive bacilli which Human beings can get anthrax from contact with were seen in short chains with truncated or rounded infected animals, wool, meat, or hides. Occurrence of ends. Based on history of sudden death, oozing of anthrax in humans is correlated with industrial unclotted blood at natural orifices and blood smear activities such as handling potentially contaminated examination it was diagnosed as anthrax outbreak and materials like hides, fur, wool, hair, meat, or bone meal control measures were undertaken immediately. Ailing (Ammann and Brandl, 2007). The spores are very animals were isolated in a separate shed and treated resistant to unfavorable environmental extremes of for the disease as follows. They were administered with heat, cold, desiccation, chemicals and irradiation. The intramuscular injections of Streptopenicillin@1 LD incidence of anthrax varies with the type of the soil and twice daily, 10 ml of Melonex® once in a day, Chloril® climate. It is many times restricted to a particular area 10 ml once in a day and Tribivet® 10 ml once in a day for where it is endemic and such areas are known as 7 days. All the 7 animals clinically recovered after 7 “Anthrax belts”. Cattle and sheep are very susceptible days. Blood smear examination of these animals after to anthrax and dogs and cats are quite resistant. There 7 days of treatment revealed no Bacillus anthracis are only few reports of anthrax outbreak in domestic organisms. The carcass of the dead animals, feed, animals in India. Venkatesha, et al., (2006) reported 2 Manure, bedding materials of dead and ailing animals anthrax outbreaks in Hassan and Kolar districts of were burnt. The healthy animals were vaccinated with Karnataka State. anthrax spore vaccine (IAH & VB, Bangalore), which Hisotry and Clinical Examination contains a suspension of live spores of Sterne’s strain There was a history of sudden death of seven of Bacillus anthracis in 50% glycerine saline. The cattle cows and two bullocks in Jaligere village of were injected with 1 ml of anthrax vaccine and sheep Doddaballapur taluk, Bangalore rural district during the were given with a dose of 0.2 ml subcutaneously. The month of June, 2008. Upon external examination of the left over vaccines were disposed as per the standard carcass, it was found that there was unclotted blood procedures. From then, till date no further anthrax near the nostril, at anal orifice and on the floor, where outbreaks were noticed in this region. the animals were lying dead. There were around seven Discussion (7) ailing animals showing the clinical signs like high