A human case of anthrax was confirmed in Uvs Province, western Mongolia, the country’s National Center for Zoonotic Diseases (NCZD) reported on June 22.
Preliminary epidemiological investigations indicate that the patient, a resident of the Tes soum administrative district in Uvs Province, likely became infected after coming into contact with a dead sheep the week prior.
A joint response team comprising specialists from relevant organizations is conducting field investigations in the affected area, the NCZD reported. Response measures include epidemiological surveillance, containment of disease transmission, and the implementation of emergency outbreak control activities.
In humans, anthrax in Mongolia manifests predominantly in its cutaneous form, which accounts for the vast majority of reported cases. This form is acquired through direct contact with contaminated animal tissues or products and is characterized by the appearance of a papule that evolves into a vesicle and subsequently into a necrotic ulcer with a characteristic black eschar.
Although this form has a low fatality rate with timely antibiotic treatment, the gastrointestinal and inhalational forms—much less frequent—can be severe and potentially fatal. Human cases are concentrated in rural populations engaged in livestock farming, with seasonal peaks linked to periods of heightened pastoral activity.
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In animals, the disease typically presents in a hyperacute or acute form, resulting in sudden death among herbivores, often without prior clinical signs. When clinical signs do appear, they include high fever, dyspnea, hemorrhages from natural orifices, and a lack of post-mortem blood clotting. These characteristics, combined with the handling of carcasses by herders—to salvage meat, hides, or bones—represent a critical point of transmission to humans.