Mystery disease spread by animals — health official
HEALTH officials from Matabeleland North suspect the disease that has seen close to 50 people from Change, Dinde and Nekabandama in Hwange District hospitalised at Lukosi Hospital and surrounding health institutions could be Brucellosis.
The affected have been complaining of severe pain which causes paralysis of the backbone, lower and upper body rendering them immobile. Brucellosis is an infectious disease caused by a bacteria.
Matabeleland North provincial medical director Dr Nyasha Masuka told Sunday News that they suspected the outbreak to be a condition called Brucellosis because of the symptoms that were exhibited by the patients.
“We suspect that it is a condition called Brucellosis that can be transmitted by animals. It is not fatal and can be treated. Some of the signs and symptoms observed during the outbreak are the same as exhibited by Brucellosis,” said Dr Masuka.
People can get the disease when they come in contact with infected animals or animal products contaminated with the bacteria. Animals that are most commonly infected include sheep, cattle, goats, pigs and dogs.
Patients suffering from Brucellosis may experience joint and muscle pain, fever, weight loss and fatigue. Some people develop stomach pain and cough. Relapses are common.
Dr Masuka, however, said although there were no new cases reported, officials could not carry out any more tests to conclusively identify the disease since the patients had been discharged.
“We can’t take anymore tests since the affected patients were discharged. What we have done is we have gone to check on the patients at home. There was no clustering of the cases reported. They were from all over so that makes it difficult to ascertain. However, there have not been any new cases reported so far,” he said.
Following the outbreak locals suspected that there could be some poisonous plant or water source that was the source as at least 15 cattle died under mysterious circumstances.
Meanwhile, the Department of Veterinary Services director, Dr Josphat Nyika, said from investigations they carried out the cattle had died from red water tick borne disease.
“We have since established through participatory surveillance with villagers in the area that the cattle had died from red water tick borne disease mostly caused by the plenty rains we received in April. What is happening is that the cattle are not entirely dying on their own but when they are weak and no longer eating the owners are finishing them off so that they could consume the meat,” said Dr Nyika
He said his department would dispatch officers to investigate cases of abortion in cattle, a major sign of infection before taking blood samples for conclusive diagnosis.
“In light of the findings by health officials we will send our guys to investigate then we will recommend on the action. We continue to advise farmers that any animal that shows signs of sickness should be reported to the nearest veterinary official so appropriate action can be taken to avoid spreading the disease,” said Dr Nyika.
He, however, said Brucellosis was not treatable in animals as it was an intra-cellular bacteria and the only way to prevent infection in cattle was to vaccinate the animals between the ages of four to six months.
Though the disease is not venereal other animals can be infected through after birth material that is spread over pastures by wild animals like hyenas who scavenge. Once infected the bacteria is passed to humans through unprocessed milk from the affected cow.
Brucellosis is transmitted in various ways that include eating undercooked meat or consuming unpasteurised or raw dairy products, breathing in the bacteria that cause Brucellosis (inhalation) and bacteria entering the body through skin wounds or mucous membranes.