Dealing with deadly anthrax bacterium

Dealing with deadly anthrax bacterium

By Maria Endah Hulupi

JAKARTA (JP): Recent reports of anthrax-infected livestock in
West Java are causing concern. Many people now shun beef and
mutton for fear of contracting anthrax from infected meat.

An additional order like "Just omit the beef, please" or
questions such as "Can I have chicken instead of beef, please?"
are often heard while dining out in restaurants. In some
supermarkets or malls you may hear an announcement assuring
customers that the beef being sold is save for consumption as it
has passed screening and meets the official standards set by the
City Animal Husbandry Agency.

However, people's concerns are well-founded since cows, goats,
sheep and buffaloes are vulnerable to anthrax.

Anthrax, also known as splenic fever, is a highly infectious
disease. It is caused by the Bacillus anthracis bacterium, which
attacks the spleen of the animals. It affects the organ that
produces thrombocyte, leading to thinning of the blood.

Anthrax-infected animals have a high temperature with shorter
but faster breathing, which aims at reducing their body heat.
They also have a faster heartbeat.

"Within the next 12 to 24 hours, the animal will get very weak
and finally die, with blood of a thin consistency oozing from the
nose, ears, mouth and anus," said the chairman of the Indonesian
Veterinaries Association (PDHI), Sri Dadi Wiryosuhanto.

He added that spores of the bacterium could survive on the
carcass, bone, fur, wool, skin, dried blood, on the earth and
grass for more than a decade.

Anthrax was first reported in Indonesia in 1885 and since then
officials have declared Jambi, Bogor and Purwakarta in West Java,
Boyolali and Salatiga in Central Java, Sumbawa, West Nusa
Tenggara as endemic areas.

An internist at Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Leonard
Nainggolan, said people could contract the disease after
consuming the meat of infected animals (gastrointestinal
anthrax), through inhalation while handling the fur of infected
animals or while working with soil contaminated with the
bacterium or through direct contact with an infected animal that
has open wounds (cutaneous anthrax).

He added that people suffering from cutaneous anthrax would
develop carbuncles on their skin within 10 days after first
contact. Those who are infected through consuming contaminated
meat complain of nausea, vomiting, fever and diarrhea within two
to three days, while those who contract it through inhalation
develop early symptoms such as fever, respiratory difficulties,
cough, headache, vomiting, chills, weakness, abdominal and chest
pains in three to 14 days after exposure.

"There has been no reports of fatalities in Jakarta. But
without proper treatment, it can be fatal," he said, adding that
many people infected with anthrax ignore the early symptoms and
often mistake them for other common illnesses.

Leonard said doctors normally prescribed antibiotic such as
penicillin, tetracycline and doxycycline for patients, which
would significantly reduce the risk of death.

On the other hand, Sri Dadi said, livestock usually get an
acute and virulent form of the disease from the grass they eat.
Farmers often say their animals were alive and looked healthy one
day but the next morning would be dead.

The spread of Bacillus anthracis through livestock can be
controlled by vaccination for prevention and serum for treating
infected animals.

"When one animal on a farm is infected, the remaining animals
will get it too. That's why it's important to isolate the area,"
Sri Dadi explained.

The carcass of an infected animal and the whole barn should be
burned down. A hole should be dug at the very location to bury
the burned carcass once it has been covered with lime to prevent
the bacteria from spreading. While other animals should be
vaccinated immediately.

Before animals are transported to a slaughterhouse, employees
of the local animal husbandry agency issue a certificate stating
an animal's origin to indicate the area it came from and a letter
is issued by a veterinarian to confirm that the animal has been
examined. Each animal is then observed for three days, with its
temperature being taken and checks for any health problems before
it is slaughtered.

"That's why the public should buy meat at registered markets
for safe consumption," Sri Dadi said.

As for those who are not convinced about the meat at
registered shops, supermarkets and malls, they are advised to
thoroughly cook the meat at high temperature or 100 degrees
Celsius for at least 10 minutes to make sure that all Bacillus
anthracis has been killed.