About a month after Bulgaria health officials reported a human anthrax fatality in Varna, the Focus Information Agency reports an animal outbreak in the village of Bozveliysko, district of Varna.
An unspecified number of dead sheep tested positive for the bacterial disease.
The recent situations in northeast Bulgaria has prompted Bulgaria’s National Sheep-breeding Association to call on people not to consume raw meat and raw milk. Chairperson Biser Chilingirov said stock-breeders and farmers should wear wire mesh gloves when butchering animals to prevent themselves for getting cuts, the time when risk of anthrax infection is greatest.
In addition, he advised the public to purchase products directly from farms as they were “ecologically clean”.
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
Cutaneous anthrax occurs when the spore (or possibly the bacterium) enters a cut or abrasion on the skin. It starts out as a raised bump that looks like an insect bite. It then develops into a blackened lesion called an eschar that may form a scab. Lymph glands in the area may swell plus edema may be present. This form of anthrax responds well to antibiotics. If untreated, deaths can occur if the infection goes systemic. 95% of cases of anthrax are cutaneous.
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