Uganda reports dozens more human anthrax cases

During the week ending September 28, the Uganda Ministry of Health (MOH) reported 59 additional human anthrax cases (2 confirmed and 57 probable) and one additional fatality from Kanungu district, in southwestern Uganda.

This brings the total cases and deaths to 185 (20 confirmed) and four deaths among confirmed cases (CFR 20%) from six of the country’s 146 districts to include Amudat (98 cases/0 deaths), Bukedea (3,0), Ibanda (2,0), Kanungu (59,1), Kazo (22,3) and Kyotera (1,0).

In addition, 645 suspected animal deaths of anthrax were reported from Amudat, Bukedea, Kanungu and Kazo districts.

The MOH continues to enhance surveillance, risk communication, environmental sanitation, safe burial of dead animals and animal vaccination.

A total of 4,763 animals have been vaccinated to date in Kanungu district.

In total, 202 human anthrax cases and six deaths have been reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (10,2) and Kenya (7,0), in addition to the Uganda cases.

Anthrax is a bacterial pathogen in livestock and wild animals. Ruminants such as bison, cattle, sheep and goats are highly susceptible, and horses can also be infected.

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.

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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.

The average case fatality rate ranges from 20-30% in untreated cutaneous anthrax, 25-75% CFR for gastrointestinal anthrax and 80% of higher for inhalation anthrax.