Five cattle farm workers in Bogor infected with anthrax<\/p>\n
Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Bogor<\/p>\n
Five workers at a cattle-breeding farm in Bogor, West Java, were
\ninfected with anthrax after being exposed to cow's blood last
\nmonth, raising fears that victims of the disease could increase
\nas the infected blood and excrement were dumped in a nearby river
\nin the densely populated area.<\/p>\n
Ajis, Halimi, Iwan, Makmur and Wahyudin, who are all in their
\n20s, are workers of the cattle-breeding farm, which is owned by
\nUci, 70, at the Kebon Pedes village of the Tanah Sareal district.<\/p>\n
The workers said they knew they were infected with anthrax
\nafter being examined and treated at the Bogor Health Center. All
\nvictims have round marks on their hands.<\/p>\n
Uci said on Monday the incident started on July 28 when one of
\nhis seven cows suddenly fell ill.<\/p>\n
"I am a breeder. I would have suffered losses if one of my
\ncows died. That's why I slaughtered the cow and sold the meat to
\nCiawi market for Rp 2.5 million (US$280)," he said.<\/p>\n
"I really did not know that the cow was infected with Anthrax
\nuntil the health agency conducted the examination."<\/p>\n
Separately, the Bogor Veterinary Research Institute's head of
\nbacteriology department, Lily Natalia at first refused to confirm
\nthe case saying it was "a political case."<\/p>\n
She, however, said that one of her staff members, Zulham,
\nbecame suspicious about the cow and took the cow's spleen to the
\nlaboratory.<\/p>\n
"Our microscopical and biological examinations revealed that
\nthe cow was positively infected with anthrax."<\/p>\n
According to Lily, Bacillus anthracis bacteria, which caused
\nanthrax, could spread through blood and excrement of slaughtered
\ncattle.<\/p>\n
"The disease can spread if the cattle are not slaughtered
\nproperly. The slaughterhouse should be sprayed with formalin
\nafterward to keep it clean," she said. "It can also spread if the
\nworkers do not dispose of the blood and excrement properly."<\/p>\n
Head of the Bogor slaughterhouse, Apip Supriadi, and head of
\nBogor Health Agency, Triwanda Elan, were not available for
\nfurther confirmation.<\/p>\n
Uci blamed the local husbandry agency for failing to regularly
\ncheck and vaccinate all the cattle.<\/p>\n
"My other cows were vaccinated only a week ago after it was
\nconfirmed that my workers were infected with anthrax.<\/p>\n
"I bought the infected cow from a breeder in Cibungbulan only
\ntwo months before it fell sick."<\/p>\n
Uci's farm is located some 700 meters from Vice President
\nHamzah Haz' residence.<\/p>\n
There are about 10 farms and some 85 cows in Kebon Pedes which
\nis located in a densely populated area.<\/p>\n
Most of the farms are in a poor condition and reek of the
\nstench of blood. What makes it worse, excrement and blood from
\nthe farms, are discharged into Cibalok river.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/five-cattle-farm-workers-in-bogor-infected-with-anthrax-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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