Published Date: 2004-01-13 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Anthrax, human & livestock - Zimbabwe (Masvingo)
Archive Number: 20040113.0134

ANTHRAX, HUMAN & LIVESTOCK - ZIMBABWE (MASVINGO)
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[1]
Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2004 23:15:01 -0000
From: Pablo Nart <pablo.nart@ntlworld.com>
Source: The Herald (Harare) via allAfrica, 9 Jan 2004 [edited]
<http://allafrica.com/stories/200401090070.html>

The Department of Veterinary Services has embarked on a massive vaccination
exercise in some parts of Masvingo Province that have been hit by continued
anthrax outbreaks. In an interview, the department's deputy director Dr
Welbourne Madzima said that vaccination of livestock had been intensified
in Mwenezi, Mberengwa, and Bikita districts to contain the outbreaks. "Our
aim is to vaccinate cattle in the affected areas regularly, but these
efforts are being hampered by the shortage of vaccines due to lack of
foreign currency," he said.
Dr Madzima said it was fairly common for anthrax outbreaks to be reported
in some parts of the country during the rainy season. At least 5 people and
60 cattle were reported to have died of anthrax during December 2003 in
Masvingo Province. The department, he said, was also conducting education
campaigns on the disease.
Some farmers did not report suspected anthrax cases because they sold the
meat to unsuspecting people, Dr Madzima said. "Most of the suspected
anthrax cases are not being reported to our department, but they surface at
health institutions where people who would have eaten meat infected with
the disease report for treatment," he said. This, Dr Madzima said, made it
difficult for the department to deal with the suspected (livestock) anthrax
cases.
--
["Massive" is a bit of an overstatement. See comments at the end of these
reports. As I have said before ... when there are human cases of anthrax,
it is because of a failure of the veterinary services in preventing this
disease, no more, no less. - Mod.MHJ]
******
[2]
Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 10:28:47 -0500
From: ProMED-mail<promed@promedmail.org>
Source: Xinhuanet [edited]
<http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-01/12/content_1271674.htm>

Anthrax outbreak claims 3 lives in Zimbabwe
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A cumulative total of 191 cases of anthrax have been reported on humans in
Masvingo province, claiming 3 lives since the outbreak of the disease about
a month ago, local media reported on Monday. Zimbabwean veterinary experts
had found more anthrax cases in the Bikita district of the province, as the
number of people afflicted has risen to 100 from 50 nearly a week ago.
Officials from the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare were quoted as
saying that, although anthrax had not claimed any human lives in Bikita,
more cases were reported in cattle. The number of anthrax cases had gone up
in Bikita district, where the disease continued to decimate more and more
cattle.
The Department of Veterinary Services had already embarked on a mass
vaccination exercise to contain the disease. Over 60 cattle died by the end
of December 2003, and more continued dying amid reports that the veterinary
department had an insufficient stock of vaccines due to foreign currency
shortages.
******
[2]
Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 18:33:34 -0000
From: A-Lan Banks <A-Lan.Banks@thomson.com>
Source: AllAfrica.com [edited]
<http://allafrica.com/stories/200401120419.html>

More anthrax cases in humans continue to surface in the Bikita district of
Masvingo, as the number of afflicted persons has risen from 50 nearly a
week ago to 100. Masvingo provincial medical director Dr Tapiwa Magure said
anthrax had wreaked havoc in Bikita, especially in the Ngorima, Chikuku,
and Devure areas, where mostly cattle were dying. The number of anthrax
cases had gone up in Bikita district where the disease continued to affect
more and more cattle.
Dr Magure appealed to villagers not to eat meat from cattle suspected to
have died of anthrax. Awareness campaigns had also been intensified. "We
have enough stocks of anthrax drugs, and we have dispatched more teams to
Bikita to deal with the problem, but our main setback is that the affected
areas are mainly in the small-scale farming areas that are difficult to
access because families are scattered," Dr Magure said.
The department of veterinary services had already embarked on a mass
vaccination exercise to contain the disease. Dr Magure said a veterinary
department promised to take over 1200 doses of anthrax vaccine to Bikita.
--
A-Lan Banks
<A-Lan.Banks@thomson.com>
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[Anthrax has been a problem in Masvingo since it was first reported there
in 2000; in that year 1182 people were reported affected in Zimbabwe with
11 deaths. 1200 doses of Sterne vaccine will not be sufficient to vaccinate
the regional cattle at risk. Without a structured, ongoing livestock
programme, with all the cattle being vaccinated each year in such
circumstances, the disease quickly reappears. And with the increasing and
widespread rural poverty in Zimbabwe, instructing the local population not
to eat sick and dead stock is at best wishful thinking. This now seems to
be a replay of the human epidemic in 1972-80, when some 10 000 people were
afflicted with anthrax.
When the country had an effective veterinary service, this disease was of
trivial importance. Because of the traditional social and cultural aspects
of the country, the disease has a human impact out of proportion to the
numbers of cattle affected, even if the quoted number of cattle deaths,
"60", is more or less correct, which is doubtful under the circumstances. -
Mod.MHJ]

See Also

2003
---
Anthrax, human & livestock - Zimbabwe (Masvingo) 20031216.3076
Foot & mouth disease - Zimbabwe (13) 20031102.2722
Anthrax, human & livestock - Zimbabwe (Chiweshe) 20031024.2667
2002
---
Anthrax, human & livestock - Zimbabwe (02):correction 20021106.5734
Anthrax, human & livestock - Zimbabwe (02) 20021105.5720
Anthrax, human & livestock - Zimbabwe 20020704.4667
2001
---
Anthrax, human & livestock - Zimbabwe (02) 20011030.2676
Anthrax, human & livestock - Zimbabwe 20010118.0147
2000
---
Anthrax, human & livestock - Zimbabwe (03) 20001224.2272
Anthrax, human & livestock - Zimbabwe (02) 20001219.2226
Anthrax, human & livestock - Zimbabwe 20001216.2204
.....................mpp/mhj/pg/sh
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