MOSCOW, March 23, Vladislav Strekopytov. In the Moscow region in recent days, there have been two cases of suspected anthrax. A week ago there were three infections in Chuvashia. About the features of the spread of a dangerous disease and whether the likelihood of an epidemic is high, see the material.
From Chuvashia to the Moscow Region
Anthrax in Russia is rarely ill. Infected mainly by contact with cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, camels that have not been vaccinated. It is not usually transmitted from person to person.
According to official data, the current outbreak occurred after a resident of the village of Staroe Aktashevo in the Tsivilsky municipal district slaughtered a bull-calf for meat, which, as it was later established, was infected.
the farm did not carry out veterinary measures to ensure the prevention of animal diseases, did not carry out preventive vaccinations and did not provide animals for preventive examination by a veterinarian,» the Investigative Committee for the Chuvash Republic explained.
As a result, the suspect's neighbor, who participated in the slaughter of the bull, his wife, and another local resident became infected. They were hospitalized, there is no threat to life.
Information spread on social networks that one of the infected was injured with a knife while cutting the carcass of a bull. The meat was allegedly sold before people showed symptoms of the disease. This has not been officially confirmed yet. The investigation continues.
This private household kept two bulls and seven sheep. Experts are now figuring out what the animals were fed, whether they had any signs of the disease. It remains to be seen how the infection was transmitted.
According to preliminary estimates, more than 130 people were in contact with the sick people. All of them are at home under the constant supervision of health workers. The authorities of Chuvashia introduced quarantine in the village of Staroe Aktashevo.
Yesterday, March 22, the Department of Rospotrebnadzor for the Moscow Region reported a suspicion of anthrax in a person who arrived from Chuvashia. Today, the regional Ministry of Health is talking about one more thing. But the tests did not confirm the preliminary diagnosis.
“There is no reason to panic: outbreaks happen every year, and the disease has already been studied enough, is easily detected and responds well to treatment,” Maxim Maskin, head physician of the Hemotest laboratory, comments on the situation. “Like any other disease, anthrax can occur with individual characteristics.” «Some people have it easier, some have it harder. But in general, modern technologies make it possible to successfully fight the infection. Severe forms usually develop if a person does not seek medical help on time or hides from the doctor that he had contact with a sick animal.» .
Lethality is up to 20 percent
Anthrax is a dangerous infectious disease of farm and wild animals caused by the bacteria Bacillus anthracis. In the host organism, they exist in the vegetative form of rods, and outside it — in the air, water and soil — in the form of spores.
The sticks die during heat treatment, so the risk of infection when eating boiled meat or boiled milk is small. Spores are very resistant to heat, drying and disinfectants. They can survive in water and soil for years. In the air, under the influence of direct sunlight, they die within 10-15 days.
Most often, the pathogen enters the human body through cuts or scratches when cutting infected animals or processing skins. The bacterium reproduces and produces two exotoxins. One causes swelling of the tissues, the other forms ulcers — the main symptom of the disease.
A few days after infection, an itchy, reddish patch appears on the skin, similar to an insect bite. Then a vesicle develops — a vesicle with serous contents and blood. When combing, the shell breaks off — and an ulcer with a black bottom appears.
The temperature rises, the head hurts. The ulcer grows — up to 8-15 millimeters, its bottom sinks more and more, along the edges — new vesicles. In a favorable scenario, after five to six days of the acute phase, the temperature decreases, the state of health improves, the edema resolves, the wound heals, leaving a scar.
Mortality is 10-20 percent. If treatment is started on time, the disease proceeds in a mild or moderate form and all patients recover.
Intestinal (when eating food or water with spores) and pulmonary (when inhaling spores) infection is much more dangerous.
Once in the body in a vegetative form, the bacterium spreads through the bloodstream and lymphatic system throughout the body, continuing to produce toxins. This gives severe symptoms: high fever, shortness of breath, vomiting, shock. Lethality is more than 50 percent.
The vaccine doesn't always work
Up to 99 percent of cases of anthrax are infection through the skin. As soon as vesicle ulcers are seen in the patient, in accordance with epidemiological procedures, they begin to check all those who have been in contact with him. Apply laboratory methods: bacterioscopic and immunofluorescent. There is also an allergological diagnosis by skin test. But this is not earlier than the fifth day after infection.
Treat with intravenous and oral antibiotics such as fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin), doxycycline, penicillin, erythromycin, and vancomycin. In addition, they give a drug to increase specific immunity — anti-anthrax globulin.
Available vaccines are not always protective and have many side effects. Therefore, only risk groups are vaccinated: researchers working with live bacteriological cultures, those who are engaged in slaughtering, harvesting, collecting, storing, transporting, processing and selling raw materials of animal origin. Well, when infecting some territories.
People who have been in contact with sick animals are being monitored for two weeks. They may be given a course of antibiotics or a vaccine as a preventive measure.
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