6 anthrax cases reported after eating infected meat

Tirupati: While the 'swine flu' epidemic has been giving sleepless nights to the district administration, the detection of anthrax cases in Chittoor district have shaken them up.

On Friday, the officials of the District Medical and Health Department received a jolt with six suspected cases reported at Kodandaramapuram village of Karvetinagaram mandal in the district.

They approached the Puttur PHC with symptoms of cutaneous anthrax like skin rashes and pimples to five of them and the other one was suspected to be suffering from meningitis whom local doctor has referred to Ruia Hospital in Tirupati. 

According to the DM&HO Dr B Ramagiddaiah, the condition of all the patients was stable and their blood samples were sent to the microbiology lab at SV Medical College. Results may come by Monday, he said.

There is no need to panic as it was a bacterial disease and with administration of antibiotics patients will become normal, he said. He told The Hans India that, some of the villagers consumed stored meat of a goat infected with Bacillus Anthracis about 10 days back which might have caused the 
disease. 

After the cases were reported on Friday, they took all the steps to prevent the disease from spreading further. Sources said that those who consumed the meat of goat have even distributed it to their near and dear in the close vicinity of the village.

Meanwhile, the Animal Husbandry Department plunged into action and vaccinating the livestock and domesticated animals. DM&HO has advised the villagers not to consume meat for a few days and take precautions like frequent hand wash etc., to be safe from such type of bacterial diseases.

Meanwhile, District Collector PS Pradyumna, who was away in Amaravati to attend Collectors conference, has appealed to people not to become panic and said the condition of five patients was stable and they were sent back to home. Only one patient was under the observation of doctors at Ruia Hospital.