Anthrax red alert!
PHOTO: STAR
The government has issued red alert to control spread of Anthrax. Reported first in Sirajganj, anthrax is now spreading to other parts of Bangladesh. Caused by bacterium Bacillus Anthracis, anthrax is an acute infectious disease which attacks both animals and humans. Domestic animals like cattle, goats, sheep, dogs, horses, etc. are often attacked by the deadliest anthrax disease. Anthrax usually spread by the spores of bacterium Bacillus Anthracis (Spores are the asexual production units of bacteria) which lives in soil in dormant condition. They survive well in alkaline soil and multiply when the soil conditions are favourable in terms of moisture, temperature, nutrition, etc. Meanwhile the average soil in Bangladesh is acidic in nature (pH between 5.5 and 6.5), so survival of anthrax spores is rather difficult. The anthrax spores enter into animal through ingestion while grazing on grassland. The infected animal dies within a week of being infected by anthrax. Humans are subjected to anthrax infection through handling of anthrax infected animals and products. The spores are released from the carcasses of dead animals if not properly destroyed or buried. The best way to prevent anthrax is to keep the infected animals isolated under constant observation and treatment. The dead animals should be disposed of properly. Vaccination should be done on healthy ones. In humans, anthrax usually infects through skin and often by inhalation and ingestion. The symptom becomes visible with 3 to 4 days which includes skin sore, flu-type fever, nausea and vomiting, in severe cases, respiratory problem, abdominal pain, shock, coma, etc. But anthrax can easily be cured if timely and correctly diagnosed. Antibiotics like ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, penicillin, works quite well against anthrax. Human vaccine is available but it is less effective and causes side effects. To sum up, monitoring and proper medication can easily help control spreading of anthrax. The Directorate of Livestock services, the Department of Agriculture Extension, and other related government agencies and NGOs plus electronic media need to intensify the campaign against anthrax.
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