A total of 11 people were diagnosed with anthrax, an infectious disease, in three upazilas of Rangpur – eight in Pirgacha, one in Mithapukur, and two in Kaunia.

Confirming the matter today (1 October), Rangpur Civil Surgeon Dr Shahin Sultana told The Business Standard, “Eleven people have been diagnosed with anthrax in Kaunia, Mithapukur, and Pirgachha upazilas. There is no reason to panic if someone is infected with anthrax.”

Adequate antibiotics are available at the upazila health complexes to treat patients, and proper medical guidelines have already been disseminated, she added.

Explaining the possible cause of infection, Dr Ahmed Nawsher Alam, principal scientific officer at the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), said, “If sick cattle or goats are slaughtered, anthrax infection can occur from there.”

Following the outbreak, the Department of Livestock has begun vaccination drives in the affected areas, she mentioned.

“This is not a matter of fear, but of caution. People should remain alert without panicking,” Dr Nawsher added.

What is Anthrax

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Anthrax is a zoonosis caused by the Gram-positive, spore-forming rod Bacillus anthracis, which affects predominantly grazing herbivores, both livestock and wildlife.

Spores of Bacillus anthracis are the infectious forms and can remain viable in soil as well as animal tissues, parts, and products for years.

They can also be dispersed by wind or floods, animal scavengers (feeding on infected carcasses), and the transport of animal products.

In humans, anthrax spores can invade the body by four routes: transcutaneous inoculation, ingestion, inhalation, and direct injection.

The disease clinical manifestations vary based upon the type of exposure: cutaneous, gastrointestinal, inhalation and injection-related anthrax, respectively.

At the same time, all forms of anthrax can lead to disseminated disease, including sepsis and meningoencephalitis.