A little more than a week after a one-horned rhinoceros died from anthrax at a zoo in Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary in Tripura, India, Indian media reports the death of an elephant from the lethal bacterial infection at a different sanctuary, Similipal Sanctuary .
Image/CIA
Post-mortem samples of the elephants viscera tested by the Animal Diseases Research Institute (ADRI) confirmed the presence of the causative agent of anthrax, Bacillus anthracis.
According to the report, the elephant had died in Subarnamanjuri forest under Dukuri Forest Range of Baripada Forest Division last week.
An animal anthrax vaccination and awareness drive has been initiated in villages located in a radius of five km from Similipal.
Anthrax is a serious infectious disease caused by gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria known as Bacillus anthracis. Domestic and wild animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, antelope, and deer can become infectedwhen they breathe in or ingest spores in contaminated soil, plants, or water.
Although it is rare, people can get sick with anthrax if they come in contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products.
Contact with anthrax can cause severe illness in both humans and animals.
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Such a tragedy.indian elephants have so much sorrow in their lives without this disease