Anthrax outbreak in Zimbabwe traced to hippos

The Zimbabwean Department of Veterinary Services requested livestock producers to remain on high alert following an anthrax outbreak in both Zimbabwe and Zambia. The outbreak had been traced to the activity of hippos in Kariba and the Zambezi basin.

The country’s acting chief director of veterinary services, Pius Makaya, told the New Zimbabwe news service the animals were infected from anthrax spores while grazing. He warned that humans could also become infected by consuming meat from anthraxinfected animals, especially cattle.

“We have managed to map 31 anthrax hot spot disticts out of the 60 districts in the country. These are the districts we are targeting for the control of the disease,” said Makaya. According to him local veterinary officials were working with their Zambian counterparts to contain the spread of the disease.

Makaya reiterated that the outbreak was under control as Zimbabwe had access to 426 000 doses of anthrax vaccines. The affected areas included Chipinge, Hurungwe, as well as Gokwe North and South.

While a relatively small number of cattle had succumbed to the disease, 518 cases of anthrax in humans had been reported, but no deaths have been recorded yet.

According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), anthrax is a disease caused by the sporeforming bacterium Bacillus anthracis.

Anthrax spores in the soil are extremely resistant and can affect animals years after an outbreak. The spores are brought to the surface by wet weather, or by deep tilling, and when ingested by ruminants the disease reappears.

Anthrax occurs on all the continents and commonly caused high mortality, primarily in domestic and wild herbivores as well as most mammals and several bird species.

It is a WOAH-listed disease and is required to be reported to the organisation, as indicated in its Terrestrial Animal Health Code.

In humans, anthrax manifests itself in three distinct patterns, namely cutaneous, gastrointestinal and inhalational.

Anthrax is preventable through vaccines and can be treated with antibiotics. However, specific procedures on the disposal of carcasses are necessary to contain the disease and prevent its spread. –