A medical expert Dr Rufai Mahmood-Usman, has urged the federal and State government to constitute an emergency response team to take curtail the outbreak of anthrax.
Mahmood-Usman who is the President, Association of Residents Doctors Kaduna chapter, gave the advice in an interview on Thursday in Kaduna.
He suggested that the response team be drawn from the department of Veterinary Medicine, which should consist of multidisciplinary experts to go round the country for sensitisation and awareness creation in anthrax cases and preventive measures.
He said that government needs to respond quickly before it becomes an outbreak or rather an epidemic.
According to him, training and workshop programs for Health Care Workers and veterinary practitioners on anthrax disease from all the three levels of government should commence.
”Following the reported case of anthrax disease confirmed and reported from a farm in Niger state along Abuja-Kaduna express way, it is not a good sign for the country. Few cases were reported from Ghana, a neighboring country some weeks ago.
”We are expecting the government to be more cautious and proactive on the primary preventive measures of anthrax disease.
He said legislative and administrative measures should be implemented to address the problem with immediate effect.
He added that there should be strong political will from government to device means and deploy experts to curtail this national threat.
Mahmood-Usman explained that Anthrax is an acute potentially life threatening zoonotic disease caused by spore forming bacterium called Bacillus Anthracis. It is a Gram positive bacteria.
“A high index of suspicion is therefore required for prompt diagnosis and management. It is an underreported disease.
“The causative microbe can be transmitted to both animals and human.Clinical manifestation varied based on route of transmission.
“Humans via; Ingestion of anthrax spores, Inhalation of anthrax s pores and handling of contaminated carcasses, wool, hide or hair.
”In animals, most common is by ingestion of anthrax spore and feeding on infected carcasses.
He added that the clinical presentation depends on the type of infection.
“Anthrax disease has incubation periods from one to seven days; GIA 15 days, inhalation seven days and Cutaneous from one to seven days,”
He listed the three types of anthrax infection to include: Gastrointestinal anthrax- via ingestion of the meat or hide skin, Inhalational- inhaled the dormant spore and Cutaneous anthrax- contact with the animal’s skin or infected wounds/ulcers.
Mahmood-Usman explained further that there is also the infection cycle known as Bacillus anthracis.
“When a grazing animal ingest the spores, it goes down to it gastrointestinal tract and matured to form vegetative bacilli. Then the animal becomes sick/ill with different signs and symptoms of the disease.
“If untreated/unnoticed, the animal may die because of release of toxins from the spore, and spray the spores to the exposed air and environment. It is called the dormant spore.
“Someone in the affected environment who has inhale the air or unknowingly consumes the meat from the infected animal or any contact whatsoever, can get infected too,”
He listed the symptoms to include, low grade fever, malaise, headache, lymph node enlargement, painless papule on the face.
Others are sore throat dysphasia hoarseness of voice neck swelling.
Then respiratory distress, chest pain contusion, syncope.
Severest form included meningitis, sepsis, respiratory failure.
According to him, the preventive measures for anthrax include:using Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), Antibiotics (drugs), sterilisation of hair, wool, hides of animals before processing, work place environmental control measures, appropriate use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) etc.
“As a zoonotic disease a coordinated and integrated ONE HEALTH APPROACH is important for effective IPC.
“Nigeria is the giant of Africa and we believe it has what it takes to protect the lives and property of its people from any kind of threat.
”There is obviously a Public health alert and the time for action is now,”
