ANTHRAX, HUMAN, BOVINE - MYANMAR: (KACHIN) REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
Date: Mon 16 Mar 2009
Source: Merinews [edited]
<http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=15752171>
[PRO/MBDS apologizes for the delay in posting.]
Anthrax kills cattle in Kachin State, MyanmarIn Myanmar, where natural calamities and epidemics get the least
priority, there has been some alacrity in tackling the dreaded
anthrax in Burma's northern Kachin State capital Myitkyina. Cattle
have been dying since early this month [March 2009].
Heads of cattle owned by people in Myitkyina died within 24 hours
after they revealed symptoms where the foot trembled, reports in the
Myanmar media in exile said. According to veterinary doctors the
symptoms of anthrax are fever, swelling leading to death in animals
like sheep and cattle. The disease can be passed on to humans.
This has created panic among residents of the capital of Kachin State
in Myanmar. The Myanmar regime, however, for possibly the 1st time
reacted with some alacrity sending in veterinary doctors and staff to
tackle the disease.
The veterinary teams are injecting anti-anthrax vaccines in cattle in
villages in and around Myitkyina. Unlike anything that the junta
usually does, this time, however the veterinary team is visiting each
village for the vaccination with the help of village administrative
offices, reports added.
The junta authorities are, however, going about tackling the disease
quietly. It has made no public announcement about the disease neither
has it bothered to warn people not to sell meat of cattle dying from
anthrax in local markets. Locals believe that the disease has spread
due to weather changes in the state. Farmers in villages are worried
and are praying that the regime can control the spread of the
disease. They are apprehensive of their cattle dying of anthrax
because many depend on cattle for farm activities like ploughing
paddy fields and other crops.
[Byline: Kumar Sakar]
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-MBDS
<promed-mbds@promedmail.org>
[PRO/MBDS is " borrowing" the moderator comment provided by
ProMED-mail animal health moderator Mod.MHJ, that accompanied this
posting in ProMED-mail (Anthrax, human, bovine - Myanmar: (KC) RFI 20090317.1083)
"The true level of this disease in Myanmar is hard to determine as it
under-reports and only retrospectively attempts control, as in this
report, which itself is unsubstantiated as yet. According to OIE
during the period 2005-2007 multiple human cases occurred ("+") but
actual numbers were not given. Livestock outbreaks occurred in
cattle, sheep, and pigs; in 2006 there were 7 bovine outbreaks, which
involved some 93 animals. In 2002 there was an outbreak in wildlife
in which 95 animals were affected but of unknown species. The
frequency that anthrax infected animals out of Myanmar turn up in
Thai border villages suggests that the disease is widespread.
If anyone has access to more substantive reports than this newswire,
it would be appreciated if they would share them with us. This is the
1st report of anthrax we have had ex-Myanmar and while we do not
suspect it to be disinformation, confirmation would be appreciated."
In addition to Mod.MHJ comments, there are some points worth
mentioning. The 1st point, anthrax is a zoonotic disease. The 2nd
point, anthrax among livestock is controlled through vaccination
programs, rapid case detection and case reporting, and burning or
burial of animals suspected or confirmed of having the disease. The
3rd point, the use of livestock vaccines was associated with
occasional animal casualties. The 4th point, the article above
reports that the clinical signs include fever, swelling leading to
death. The clinical signs reported make it very difficult to
differentiate the disease from others with clinicopathologic
findings, that is, blackleg, and hemorrhagic septicemia. More
information on hemorrhagic septicemia and blackleg is available at
<http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/55600.htm>
and <http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/50704.htm>
For a map of Myanmar go to
<http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/myanmar.pdf>.
Kachin State is the northernmost state in the country.
For the interactive HealthMap/ProMED map of Myanmar with links to
other recent ProMED-mail and PRO/MBDS postings in Myanmar and
surrounding areas, see <http://healthmap.org/r/007w>. - Mod.TD]
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