Seven people infected by anthrax

BOGOR: The Veterinary Research Center (Balitvet) confirmed on Monday that seven residents of Kadumanggu village, Babakan Madang regency, Bogor, had contracted the disease anthrax.

The head of Bogor-based Balitvet, Darminto, said that after examining blood samples from the infected residents they had detected the presence of anthrax antibodies.

According to him, the antibody formation indicated that they had suffered from the disease on their skin.

However, he said, no anthrax vaccination yet existed for humans to prevent them from contracting the disease.

"There are two measures we have to adhere to, namely vaccinating livestock and raising people's awareness not to butcher or consume infected livestock," he said.

Darminto claimed that, although Bogor administration had routinely vaccinated livestock and domesticated animals, cases of anthrax infection continued to emerge.

"We need to find out what went wrong; maybe it was the poor quality of the vaccines," he added.

The spores of Bacillus anthracis can survive in an animal's carcass, bone, coat, skin or dried blood, and in the soil and grass. In the dry season, animals and humans are exposed to the bacteria spores through inhalation. --JP