Nigerian government has asked its citizens to take extra care to avoid Anthrax disease, a disease transmissible from animals to humans, which has been reported in northern Ghana, Burkina Faso and Togo with fatalities.
Nigeria is intensifying animal vaccination along the border states of Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun and Lagos because of their proximity to Burkina Faso, Togo and Ghana.
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development asked Nigerians to stop the consumption of hides as a delicacy known as ponmo as well as wild rodents popularly called bush meat.
The alert was contained in a statement signed on 12 June, 2023 by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Ernest Umakhihe.
Anthrax is an infectious disease caused by gram-positive bacteria, Bacillus anthracis.
It occurs naturally in the soil and infects wild animals and domestic animals that are not vaccinated. People can get infected and sick if they come in contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products.
The disease is not spread from person to person but from the spores of the bacteria from infected animals.
Once ingested, anthrax spores can affect the upper gastrointestinal tract (throat and esophagus), stomach and intestines. The symptoms include nausea, dizziness, cough, chest pain, vomiting, sweating and shortness of breath.
Without treatment, more than half of patients with gastrointestinal anthrax do not survive.
Early treatment with antibiotics is said to be effective in humans. There is also a vaccine for anthrax given in six shots to provide protection, followed by a yearly booster.
photo credit: bbc
