'Causes Severe Lung Problems': 10 Things to Know about Deadly Anthrax Disease
FCT, Abuja - The federal government of Nigeria on Monday, June 12, raised the alarm over a deadly virus outbreak named anthrax disease.
As a result, citizens are advised to stop eating cow skin, locally called "ponmo".
Source: Facebook
Speaking to Legit.ng, Sheriffdeen Ewunuga, one of the healthcare workers at the frontline of Nigeria's struggle with infectious diseases, highlighted the prevention and control measures.
He said:
"Control of the disease in animals is key to prevention of anthrax in humans.
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"Susceptible animals should be vaccinated and there should be correct disposal of infected carcasses by deep burial.
"I also suggest proper disinfection, decontamination, and disposal of contaminated materials."
Here are 10 things you should know about the disease.
1. Where is anthrax found?
A rare disease, human anthrax is most common in Africa and central and southern Asia.
2. Anthrax symptoms
There are four common routes of anthrax infection, each with different signs and symptoms.
In most cases, symptoms develop within six days of exposure to the bacteria. However, it's possible for inhalation anthrax symptoms to take more than six weeks to appear.
Its signs include flu-like symptoms such as cough, fever, and muscle aches, and if not diagnosed and treated early, leads to pneumonia, severe lung problems, difficulty in breathing, shock, and death.
3. Anthrax vaccine
There is a vaccine that can help prevent anthrax, a serious infection caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. However, this vaccine is not typically available to the general public.
4. What does anthrax do to humans?
Inhalation anthrax begins with flu-like symptoms (cough, fever, muscle aches). These symptoms may last two to three days and appear to go away for one or two days. Then the illness can come back, resulting in severe lung problems, difficulty breathing, and shock.
5. Is it possible to survive anthrax?
Almost everyone who gets treated for cutaneous anthrax survives. About 20% of infected people who don't get treatment die.
For inhalation anthrax, if not treated, it can be very dangerous – it's fatal in up to 90% of cases.
6. Apart from Ponmo, what else are Nigerians advised to desist from consuming?
The general public is strongly advised to desist from the consumption of hides (pomo), smoked meat and bush meat as they pose serious risks until the situation is brought under control.
7. What antibiotics treat anthrax?
When the anthrax can't grow anymore, it dies. Two of the antibiotics that could be used to prevent anthrax are Ciprofloxacin and Doxycycline.
8. Is anthrax contagious?
Anthrax is not contagious.
9. Where does anthrax come from?
Anthrax is thought to have originated in Egypt and Mesopotamia (in modern-day Iraq).
10. How is anthrax transmitted from animals to humans?
People can get sick with anthrax if they come in contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products.
Humans can get anthrax through contact with infected animals, by handling wool and other products from infected animals, or by eating meat from an infected animal.
Like Ghana, NAFDAC approves R21 malaria vaccine for Nigeria
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Monday, April 17, approved the provisional use of the R21 malaria vaccine.
The agency noted that the R21 Malaria vaccine dossier complies substantially with the best international standards, which made the Joint Review Committee conclude that the data on the R21 Malaria vaccines were robust and met the criteria for efficacy, safety, and quality.
Source: Legit.ng
