City administration warns of anthrax symptoms<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The city administration warned residents on
\nTuesday to stay alert for symptoms of anthrax, such as skin
\nlesions, following reports of infected goat meat and beef in
\nneighboring Bogor regency.<\/p>\n
"People who have consumed goat meat or beef and develop
\nsymptoms of anthrax should seek medical attention immediately,"
\nYesi Widiastuti, spokeswoman for the Jakarta Health Agency, told
\nreporters on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
She added, however, that so far there had been no human
\ninfections reported in the capital.<\/p>\n
Anthrax is caused by Bacillus anthracis, a spore-forming
\nbacterium which can survive for 100 years in the ground and can
\nonly be destroyed through incineration.<\/p>\n
Yesi said the disease could spread either through direct skin
\ncontact with an infected animal, by consuming infected meat or by
\ninhaling air which has been contaminated by anthrax spore.<\/p>\n
Lesions are a specific symptom of skin anthrax, with an
\nincubation period of between one day and five days on average,
\nshe said.<\/p>\n
Specific symptoms of intestinal anthrax are queasiness,
\nvomiting and increased body temperature. Intestinal anthrax has
\nan incubation period of between two days and five days, said
\nYesi.<\/p>\n
Pulmonary anthrax has no specific symptoms at the beginning,
\nshe added, but those infected could suddenly have respiratory
\nproblems, high fever, after which they could lapse into a coma.
\nThe incubation period of this kind of anthrax is between three
\ndays and four days.<\/p>\n
She said that people who have frequent contact with animals,
\nsuch as breeders, shepherds, veterinarians, laboratory staffers,
\nworkers in leather products were more susceptible to the disease.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Animal Husbandry Agency has recorded several areas
\nprone to the disease, including West Sumatra, Jambi, West Java,
\nJakarta, Central Java, East Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi,
\nSoutheast Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi and Irian Jaya.<\/p>\n
Last year, there was an anthrax outbreak at an ostrich farm in
\nBogor. Another 180,000 livestock were threatened by the disease
\nin Purwakarta, some 90 kilometers east of Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Contacted separately, Sudianto, a staffer at the City Health
\nAgency stationed at the Cakung slaughterhouse in East Jakarta,
\nsaid he had yet to receive any order from the city administration
\neither to give anthrax vaccinations to the animals or to
\nquarantine them.<\/p>\n
He said all animals delivered to the slaughterhouse should be
\naccompanied by medical certificates, adding that many of the
\nanimals were from areas which there had been no anthrax
\noutbreaks, such as East Java, Bali, Madura, West Nusa Tenggara
\nand Lampung.<\/p>\n
"We haven't had any animals infected with anthrax through the
\nyears," he told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
He also said business at the slaughterhouse had yet to pick up
\ndespite the fact that people usually buy goats or cattle for the
\nIdul Adha Islamic Day of Sacrifice, which will fall on March 5
\nthis year.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Animal Husbandry Agency has suggested people buy
\nanimals only from authorized traders, such as slaughterhouses.<\/p>\n
Jakarta has five slaughterhouses -- Cakung in East Jakarta,
\nMampang Prapatan in South Jakarta and Tanjung Priok in North
\nJakarta for cows, and Pulogadung in East Jakarta and Tanah Abang
\nin Central Jakarta for goats.<\/p>\n
Currently, the market price for goats ranges from Rp 400,000
\nto Rp 600,000 per goat, while the price for cows varies from Rp
\n12,000 to Rp 14,000 per kilogram of live meat. (04\/07)<\/p>",
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