Haiti anthrax outbreak, A dozen suspected cases

On July 12, 2024, the Ministry of Public Health and Population was alerted of cases of illness presenting signs and symptoms that may indicate the presence of anthrax in the Fort Royal locality of the first municipal section of Petit-Goâve, at the southern entrance to Port-au-Prince.

Haiti will take emergency measures following the detection of 12 suspected cases of anthrax in the country, according to a government statement released by the Minister for Foreign Affairs Dominique Dupuy.

According to the report from the West health department, these cases occurred after several people consumed meat from an animal that died suddenly. An epidemiological investigation is underway to identify the source of the infection, assess the extent and implement appropriate prevention and control measures.

The Ministry of Public Health and Population, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development, local authorities and international partners, has already implemented the first measures to contain the spread of disease and ensure the health security of the population. Health Officers are deployed in the affected area to monitor and manage cases.

Anthrax is a very serious disease of livestock because it can potentially cause the rapid loss of a large number of animals in a very short time. Affected animals are often found dead with no illness detected.

When conditions become favorable, the spores germinate into colonies of bacteria. An example would be a grazing cow ingests spores that in the cow, germinate, grow spread and eventually kill the animal. Anthrax is caused by the bacterium, Bacillus anthracis. This spore forming bacteria can survive in the environment for decades because of its ability to resist heat, cold, drying, etc. This is usually the infectious stage of anthrax.

Subscribe to Outbreak News TV on YouTube

There are no reports of person-to-person transmission of anthrax. People get anthrax by handling contaminated animal or animal products, consuming undercooked meat of infected animals and more recently, intentional release of spores.

There are three types of human anthrax with differing degrees of seriousness: cutaneous, gastrointestinal and inhalation.