By News Desk @bactiman63
Health officials in Guinea are reporting an anthrax outbreak in Koubia prefecture in the northwestern part of the country.
A total of five human cases of anthrax ( four cutaneous anthrax and one gastrointestinal anthrax) including one death (case fatality ratio 20%) have been reported.
The patients became ill after consuming meat from a sick goat that was slaughtered in late April. Half of the goat meat was sent to a neighboring village, located nine kilometers from that of the case-patients. No case has been reported from the second village to date.
Anthrax is a serious infectious disease caused by gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria known as Bacillus anthracis. Anthrax can be found naturally in soil and commonly affects domestic and wild animals around the world. Although it is rare, people can get sick with anthrax if they come in contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products.
There are three types of human anthrax with differing degrees of seriousness: cutaneous, gastrointestinal and inhalation.
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