FG Issues Health Advisory Over Possible Outbreak of Anthrax in Nigeria

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) have issued health caution against possible outbreak of anthrax in the country.

The two agencies said they were aware of a confirmed outbreak of anthrax both in human and animal (involving cattle and mostly sheep) by Ghana Health Service since June 1, 2023.

Anthrax is a severe disease caused by the bacteria – Bacillus anthracis.

It can affect both humans and animals, including wild animals and livestock such as cows, pigs, camels, sheep, goats, etc.

A statement jointly signed by the Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Columba Vakuru, the Director General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, (NCDC), Dr.  Ifedayo Adetifa, said there was currently no suspected or confirmed case of anthrax in Nigeria.

However, it stated that due to Nigeria’s close relationship with Ghana through border movement of humans and animals, and  strong trade relations, there was a high risk of importation of the disease.

“Therefore, government has put in place certain measures including, establishment of a National Anthrax Technical Working Group (TWG), dissemination of information to notify veterinarians, cattle rearers and the public of the outbreak in the northern region of Ghana.”

It listed other measures being taken to include the development of an Incident Action Plan i.e., an initial response plan in the situation where there was an imported case(s) of anthrax in animals, continuous sensitisation programs on Anthrax, and conduction of a risk assessment to ascertain the likelihood of the introduction of the disease into the country and the severity of the impact of the disease in the event of an outbreak.

The federal government also stated that it was conducting surveillance in high-risk areas following findings from the risk assessment conducted.

In addition, the government said a ring vaccination of at-risk animals in frontline states was being undertaken.

The statement added: “The FMARD-led national anthrax TWG is a multi-sectoral and multidisciplinary group with stakeholders from the human, animal, and environmental health sectors, as well as partners, charged with the responsibility to coordinate response and preventive actions across the country.”

Anthrax affects humans in three ways: Skin infection, i.e., direct contact with infected animals through wounds or cuts.

Other ways of infection can be through gastrointestinal, that is  through eating raw or undercooked meat of infected animals or their products including milk.

It can also be contacted through Inhalation. 

The most common is a skin infection, where people become infected by handling animals or animal by-products that contain spores. This commonly happens to veterinarians, agricultural workers, livestock producers or butchers dealing with sick animals, or when the infection has been spread by wool or hides.

Anthrax can cause symptoms such as high fever, weakness, loss of appetite, bleeding from all body openings (nose, mouth, ears, anus etc.), swelling and difficulty in breathing and bloody diarrhoea. It can lead to sudden death in most cases. The blood of an animal that has been infected with anthrax does not clot on slaughter.