Date: 18 Jan 2001
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promed.isid.harvard.edu>
Source: BBC Monitoring International Reports, World Reporter;
ZBC radio text web site, Harare, in English - 12 Jan 2001 [edited]
Anthrax is reported to have broken out in 4 provinces of Zimbabwe so far.
At least 11 people have died of the disease while more than 2000 cases of
anthrax in humans [have been reported] in Mhondoro in Mashonaland West,
Marange in Manicaland, Chihota in Mashonaland East, and Lupane in
Matabeleland North.
The Veterinary Services Department has appealed to Zimbabweans not to eat
the meat of cattle that are dying of unknown diseases in various parts of
the country. Anthrax is mainly a disease of animals, but humans become
[infected] by contact with infected animals or eating infected
meat from dead animals.
--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[I have been monitoring this, and the last hard cumulative data was for Dec
2000, when the national total was 980 human cases for the same number of
deaths (11). This ZBC report includes an apparent extra 1000 cases and
some new districts affected.
During 2000, cattle cases were reported in Mashonaland - Central, - West,
and East, Masvingo, Manicaland, and Matabeleland North. The extraordinary
number of human cases has been ascribed to rural poverty, especially in the
Mhondoro Communal Lands, with people eating infected carcasses and others
selling such meat in markets.
The ratio of (previously) reported cases of 5 human cases per affected
bovine is quite unusual; in my experience it is more commonly the other way
around, i.e. 5-10 dead cows per human (cutaneous) case. Such a ratio would
be in line with medical tracing. However, other dead livestock not
associated with human cases would be missed. "2000" human cases could also
be a journalistic confusion with the year. The low number of fatalities is
more in line with cutaneous than gastroenteric cases. Clarification on the
numbers and new districts has b
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