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Published Date: 2013-06-19 07:42:36
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Anthrax - India (08): (AP)
Archive Number: 20130619.1780633

ANTHRAX - INDIA (08): (ANDHRA PRADESH)
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Date: Tue 18 Jun 2013
Source: The Times of India, Times News Network (TNN) [edited]
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/visakhapatnam/2-suspected-anthrax-cases-from-Araku/articleshow/20640600.cms


King George Hospital (KGH) hospital [Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh] authorities reported that 2 patients from Araku Valley are undergoing treatment at the hospital, have been diagnosed with cutaneous anthrax. However, district health officials said that these are only suspected cases and samples have been sent to a government lab in Gwalior [Madhya Pradesh] for confirmation.

"The 2 patients from Araku, ages 47 and 35, were admitted a couple of days ago and are now being treated in the dermatology ward after they developed ulcers on fingers. They have been diagnosed with anthrax but their condition is stable," informed KGH resident medical officer Dr B Bangaraiah. "Anthrax caused by bacillus bacteria is curable when diagnosed and treated early, but it may affect the lungs and become fatal if timely treatment is not given," said the doctor.

However, district medical and health officer R Syamala said that the cases "haven't been confirmed" yet. "Samples have been collected and sent to the government laboratory in Gwalior for analysis and we are awaiting the reports. Medical camps have been conducted in the vulnerable Agency areas from 13 to 16 Jun 2013, but no fresh cases were reported and there's no cause for panic," said Syamala.

Agency areas, including Chintapalli, Munchingput, and Araku, are the most vulnerable and almost every year anthrax cases, including deaths, are reported from these places. "There were no dead cattle, goats, or ailing animals in Araku. Otherwise, we would have started vaccination programmes. These Agency areas are anthrax endemic regions and repeatedly anthrax cases occur here," said the joint director of animal husbandry department, V Venkateshwar Rao, who sent his team to Araku to examine the animals.

"Vaccination has been undertaken for 3 consecutive years. We have sent the soil samples for culture test for detecting the bacterial spores to the Veterinary Biological Research Institute, Hyderabad [Andhra Pradesh], and the test results are expected in a fortnight," said Rao.

"Depending on the entry of the spores, anthrax may be cutaneous (skin), intestinal, digestive, or pulmonary. In Araku, cutaneous is the most common form of anthrax," he said. "A few years ago, there were cases of skin ailments because of bacterial infections from border areas of Odisha and the symptoms were akin to anthrax. This time, again, similar symptoms could have been confused with anthrax and this needs confirmation. People might have also eaten a goat that the locals said had died of snakebite and consumption of that poisoned meat might have caused some complications," said Rao. Anthrax cases were suspected in the district as around 25 tribal families complained of ulcers on their fingers after consuming goat meat about 2 weeks ago. However, now 2 of them are under treatment at KGH.

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[This is a puzzle and will so continue until a confirmed diagnosis either way is available on these 2 human cases. While apparently livestock "vaccination has been undertaken for 3 consecutive years," these 3 named areas have "endemic" -- probably enzootic -- anthrax with repeated cases, possibly of livestock AND humans. If the vaccination programmes were effective as they should be with a competent vaccine and local participation, vaccination should have quickly reduced the incidence to sporadic. Presumably the "soil samples" were taken from the place where the suspected sick goat was butchered. The more we learn of this event the more confusing it gets.

To find Andhra Pradesh in SE India see the maps at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/india_pol01.jpg and http://healthmap.org/r/7mj2.
For a map of Andhra Pradesh, see http://www.mapsofindia.com/maps/andhrapradesh/andhrapradesh-district.htm. Visakhapatnam district is in the NE corner of the state. To find Araku, on the northern border of the district, go to http://www.mapsofindia.com/maps/andhrapradesh/districts/vishakhapatnam.htm. - Mod.MHJ]

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