Ten Hospitalized in Siberia Anthrax Outbreak

Ten people have been hospitalized in Russia’s Altai Territory over suspected exposure to anthrax, according to local emergency officials.

Earlier, officials reported that at least one person had died on Saturday from anthrax poisoning, while three others from the village of Druzhba were confirmed infected. A total of seven had been hospitalized for tests, officials said.

The victim became infected after handling the carcass of an infected cow. Doctors said he sought medical aid only a week after developing symptoms.

A total of 32 people in the Altai Territory are belived to have come into contact with infected animals, all of which are under medical supervision, according to officials

Druzhba, population 740, was quarantined and vaccination ordered for all animals. Stray animals are also being killed to contain the outbreak.

Anthrax is fatal in about 40 percent of cases for gastro-intestinal infection. If it is inhaled, it is lethal in up to 90 percent of cases, but cutaneous infection is lethal in just 1-20 percent of cases if the victim gets early treatment, according to the Center for Biosecurity.

The disease is untreatable once the infection has had time to develop inside the victim, but can be treated with antibiotics if the infection is in its early stages. Some strains are antibiotic-resistant.

Anthrax cannot be transmitted from one human to another, but can be transmitted from infected animals to people, usually when they handle or eat infected meat.

 

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