One dead and three seriously ill in anthrax outbreak as WHO alerted

Daily Record

04-06-2025

Thailand has issued a public health warning about the deadly disease after it reported its first anthrax-related fatality in more than three decades
Fears of an outbreak of a notoriously fatal disease have escalated after Thailand reported four cases of cutaneous anthrax to the World Health Organisation (WHO), marking the first instances in the country in more than three decades.
One person died due to complications from the disease, while three others were hospitalised. This represents the first anthrax-related death in Thailand since 1994.
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All patients had direct contact with cattle believed to be infected with anthrax. In late May, another patient was linked to the slaughtering of cattle.
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Disease control measures, including animal quarantine, a vaccination campaign targeting cattle within a five-kilometre radius, public awareness campaigns and enhanced surveillance, were implemented in the affected area, officials say.
Anthrax is a potentially deadly disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Humans can contract it from infected animals or contaminated animal products, reports the Mirror.
The symptoms of anthrax vary depending on the type of infection. Symptoms can appear anywhere from one day to more than two months after exposure to the bacteria that cause anthrax.
Without proper treatment, all types of anthrax have the potential to spread throughout the body and cause severe illness and even death.
Cutaneous anthrax is the most common form of the disease and infection occurs following direct contact with infected animals, carcasses, animal tissues, parts or products.
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Symptoms include an itchy, painless papule that develops into a larger vesicle or blister and then into a necrotic ulcer with a black, depressed central crust. If gastrointestinal anthrax is contracted through ingesting contaminated, undercooked meat, individuals may experience nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and potentially diarrhoea.
Patient cases have ranged in age from 36 to 58 years old and include three men and one woman, located in Mukdahan Province near the border with Laos.
World Health Organisation guidance
Treatment: the WHO recommends hospitalisation for all human cases of anthrax, with prophylactic treatment provided to those who may have been exposed to anthrax spores. The health body said: "Anthrax responds well to antibiotics, which need to be prescribed by a medical professional. Always follow medical advice on how to take the antibiotics.
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"Precisely follow the instructions and do not shorten the course of treatment. Should any side effects of the treatment be noted, please consult a physician at once. Nobody should attempt to use antibiotics or any other drugs to treat or protect themselves without first getting medical advice."
The disease: The WHO described anthrax as an infection caused by the spore-forming bacteria known as Bacillus anthracis. It is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans, typically affecting livestock such as cows, sheep, and goats.
"The bacteria produce extremely potent toxins which are responsible for the symptoms, causing a high lethality rate. Humans can catch the disease from infected animals or through contaminated animal products," the WHO said.
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The outbreak: This outbreak has been epidemiologically linked to the slaughtering of cows, with the first animal being slaughtered in mid-April and its meat distributed among villagers. A second cow was killed in late April.
It was believed that exposure to meat or contact during the slaughtering process of these animals is the source of infection for all confirmed patients.
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Screening of individuals at risk was conducted across three villages, identifying two suspected cases who had diarrhoea and fever. However, samples were negative for Bacillus anthracis.
A total of 636 people were identified as at risk and monitored up to May 10. Among them, 28 people were directly involved in the slaughter of cattle, while others consumed raw beef.
Anthrax is endemic in several countries across South East Asia. However, in Thailand, human infections are very rare. Several of the country's public bodies – the Department of Disease Control, the Ministry of Public Health, the Department of Livestock Development and the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives – have put in place measures to control potential disease spread.
This includes environmental cleaning and disinfection in 23 high-risk households, identified based on consumption of potentially contaminated meat.
Farmers were instructed to report any ill or deceased animals to officials and not to consume raw meat. Samples were collected from knives and cutting boards used by the first patient, as well as from soil at the slaughter site and beef from the slaughtered cows.
Earlier this year, one confirmed and 16 suspected anthrax cases were reported in North Kivu Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Seven suspected cases were also recorded in the western Kabale district of Uganda.