The Nigerian Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development alerted the general public to an outbreak of Anthrax in neighbouring countries within the West African sub-region. Specifically, Northern Ghana, and bordering Burkina Faso and Togo.
Anthrax is a bacterial disease that affects both animals and humans, and it is a zoonotic disease. Anthrax spores are naturally found in the soil and commonly affect domestic and wild animals.
People can get infected with Anthrax spores if they come in contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products. However, Anthrax is not a contagious disease, so one cannot contract it by coming in close contact with an infected person.
Signs of Anthrax are flu-like symptoms such as cough, fever, and muscle aches. If not diagnosed and treated early, it can lead to pneumonia, severe lung problems, difficulty in breathing, shock, and death.
Being a bacterial disease, it responds to treatment with antibiotics and supportive therapy.
Although primarily a disease of animals, non-vaccinated animals with Anthrax can easily transmit the disease to humans through the inhalation of Anthrax spores or consumption of contaminated/infected animal products such as hides and skins, meat, or milk.
Annual vaccinations with Anthrax spore vaccines are available at Nigeria’s National Veterinary Research Institute in Vom, Plateau State, and are the cheapest and easiest means of preventing and controlling the disease in animals.
Infected dead animals should be buried deep into the soil along with equipment used in the burial after applying chemicals that will kill the Anthrax spores.
The Nigerian public is strongly advised to desist from the consumption of hides (pomo), smoked meat, and bush meat as they pose a serious risk until the situation is brought under control.
The Federal Government has resuscitated a standing committee on the control of Anthrax in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Relevant institutions and collaborators have also been contacted with the aim of controlling the outbreak. Additionally, state directors of veterinary services nationwide have been sensitized.
There is a need to intensify animal vaccinations along the Nigerian border states of Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, and Lagos states because of their proximity to Burkina Faso, Togo, and Ghana. Other states of Nigeria are also advised to join in the exercise.
