NewsDesk @bactiman63

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported:

  • In Tigray, on 10 June, confirmed anthrax cases were reported in Mariam Adi-gesheti of Tahetaye adeyabo Woreda in the Northwestern Zone. Nine individuals were confirmed positive.
Bacillus anthracis bacteria
Image/CDC

The report didn’t specify how the nine people contracted the bacterial infection.

Anthrax is a very serious disease of livestock because it can potentially cause the rapid loss of a large number of animals in a very short time. Affected animals are often found dead with no illness detected.

When conditions become favorable, the spores germinate into colonies of bacteria. An example would be a grazing cow ingests spores that in the cow, germinate, grow spread and eventually kill the animal. Anthrax is caused by the bacteriumBacillus anthracis. This spore forming bacteria can survive in the environment for decades because of its ability to resist heat, cold, drying, etc. This is usually the infectious stage of anthrax.

There are no reports of person-to-person transmission of anthrax. People get anthrax by handling contaminated animal or animal products, consuming undercooked meat of infected animals and more recently, intentional release of spores.