Published Date: 1999-07-19 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Anthrax, human - Russia (Buryatia) (04)
Archive Number: 19990719.1220
ANTHRAX, HUMAN - RUSSIA (BURYATIA) (04)
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See Also
Anthrax, human - Russia (Buryatia) 990713221800Anthrax, human - Russia (Buryatia) (02) 990716092031
Anthrax, human - Russia (Buryatia) (03) 990718220806
Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1999 12:41:19 -0400
From: Dorothy Preslar <dpreslar@fas.org>
Source: Itar-Tass 19 Jul 1999 [edited
Another 3 people were diagnosed with anthrax in the Russian Siberian
republic of Buryatia, thus bringing the total number of cases to 14. One of
the first patients, a 62-year old farmer has died. However, doctors said
they have no special concern for the lives of the others. The 3 new patients
took part in the slaughter of sick cattle in the village of Pervomaisk in
Kyakhty district.
Anthrax began to spread from the village on 3 July 1999. Sanitary
authorities are
working hard to prevent the spread of the disease, while Buryatian President
Leonid Potapov urged to accelerate the investigation of the incident. So far
anthrax has not spread outside the Kyakhty district, but many residents of
Buryatia stopped buying fresh meat for the time being.
---
Dorothy Preslar
FAS, Washington DC
<dpreslar@fas.org>
[The word "spreading" suggests that they may be witnessing spread via either
horse-flies (tabanids) which can take the bacillus 5 -10kms on their
mouthparts, or by blow-flies which may involve only 10 -100m. If the grazing
is long the blow-flies will rest on it to defecate and groom themselves,
thereby depositing spores in the long grasses; otherwise they land on scrub
and such and put browsers at risk. Of course, they could be using the word
"spread" in public health terms of marketing contaminated meat from sick &
dead animals. This takes the bacillus into very different environments --
vehicles, markets, shops, kitchens - MHJ
...................................mhj/jw
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