Risk Factors of Anthrax Transmission in Pacitan Regency

Introduction: Anthrax was a zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis in several regions of Indonesia. Transmission of anthrax in animals and humans occurred by direct contact with anthrax spores present in meat, soil, or plants. This study aimed to analyse the risk factors and recommend preventive action for anthrax transmission. Methods: This research used a descriptiveanalytic study to describing cases based on the case definition, primary data, and secondary data. The primary data were collected from the field observations and interviews with farmers and people in the community. The secondary data were obtained from the Pacitan District Health Office and Surabaya Technical Centre for Environmental Health and Disease Control. Data analysis of this study applied content analysis techniques that describe the actual situation of the community. Results and Discussion: Risk factors for anthrax transmission in Pacitan Regency included livestock traffic from endemic anthrax areas and lacked public knowledge about anthrax disease, rainfall, and topography. Conclusion: Anthrax disease control measurements include surveillance and investigation periodically, treatment of the suspected livestock, vaccination, disinfection, and socialisation. The government needs to control livestock traffic by providing proper regulation. Also, the public might improve knowledge and awareness with their livestock

A ratiometric fluorescent sensor of a terbium coordination polymer for the anthrax biomarker 2,6-dipicolinic acid with on-site detection assisted by smartphone APP

2,6-Dipicolinic acid (DPA) is the biomarker of anthrax spores, whose detection is in great need. A hydrothermal reaction of 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid (H2NDBC) with Tb3+ gave out a terbium coordination polymer,...

Spatial Suitability Modeling of Zoonosis: Implicated Risk Areas of B. anthracis and Trends under climate change Scenarios in Ethiopia

The causative agent of Anthrax B. anthracis has long been known to cause disease in animals and humans. Its worldwide distribution includes Ethiopia as an endemic country to the disease. The current study was aimed at identifying and developing risk maps, in areas that are suitable for the persistence of anthrax spores under climate change scenarios by using anthrax occurrence data and other predictor variables in MaxEnt model. A total of 158 occurrence locations were used as inputs along 10 current bioclimatic, future climatic grids and topographic covariates to develop a model and evaluate the individual contribution of each variable to the presence of B. anthracis in Ethiopia. It’s concluded that the most important variables limiting the distribution of B. anthracis in Ethiopia were Temperature, Precipitation, and Elevation. Under HADGEM2-ES future modeling scenarios except for RCP 8.5/2050 there is a decrease in areas of suitability from Current scenario under RCP 2.6/2050, RCP 2.6/2070, and RCP 8.5/2070. Subtle expansions of suitable areas are identified under RCP 2.6/2050 and RCP 2.6/2070 in the eastern parts of Ethiopia. However, there are small portions of southern areas that are expected to lose suitable habitats under all future scenarios. These findings could help health management authorities to formulate prevention and control strategies of anthrax in suitable areas under B. anthracis.

A GIS-Based Retrospective Analysis of the Epizootiologic and Epidemiologic Situation of Anthrax in the Republic of Crimea

The purpose of the study was to conduct a retrospective analysis of the epizootiologic and epidemiologic situation of anthrax in the Republic of Crimea and to improve surveillance of this infection using geographic information systems (GIS technologies). Material and methods: In the process of considering specific features of manifestations of infection in different areas of the Crimean Peninsula and outbreaks of anthrax in animals and humans in 1922–2019, we analyzed and summarized data of reporting forms of the Interregional Department of Rospotrebnadzor in the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol. ESRI’s ArcGIS 10 software was used as a GIS-platform. When zoning the administrative units of Crimea by the level of endemicity, we estimated epizootic indices for anthrax. Results: We observed a relatively safe epizootiologic and epidemiologic situation of anthrax in the Republic of Crimea. In 1922–2019, 211 potentially hazardous stationary sites located in nine districts and one city council and 13 anthrax burial sites in four districts were registered in Crimea. Most sites (182 or 86.3 %) appeared in 1932–1961, the peak anthrax activity occurred in 1942–1951, and the latest outbreaks of infection among animals and humans were registered in 1995. Taking into account the ability of anthrax spores to persist in soil for years, the administrative units of the Crimean Peninsula were zoned using GIS-technologies based on the established epizootic indices. As a result, the territory of the Republic of Crimea was divided into areas with different levels of risk of exposure to anthrax. We also studied the relationship between the endemic areas and local climatic and geographical conditions and found that the majority of stationary sites (167) were within the dry-steppe, typical steppe, and northern steppe zones of the Peninsula with dominating soddy calcareous, meadow chernozem, and chernozem types of soil.

Ungulate use of locally infectious zones in a re-emerging anthrax risk area

Environmentally mediated indirect pathogen transmission is linked to host movement and foraging in areas where pathogens are maintained in the environment. In the case of anthrax, spores of the causative bacterium Bacillus anthracis are released into the environment following host death and create locally infectious zones (LIZs) around carcass sites; by grazing at LIZs, herbivores are potentially exposed to spores. Here, we used camera traps to assess how ungulate species use carcass sites in southwestern Montana and evaluated how these behaviours may promote indirect anthrax transmission, thus providing, to our knowledge, the first detailed documentation and study of the fine-scale mechanisms underlying foraging-based disease transmission in this ecosystem. We found that carcasses at LIZs significantly increased aboveground biomass of vegetation and concentrations of sodium and phosphorus, potentially making these sites more appealing to grazers. Host behavioural responses to LIZs varied depending on species, sex, season and carcass age; but, overall, our results demonstrated that carcasses or carcass sites serve as an attractant to herbivores in this system. Attraction to LIZs probably represents an increased risk of exposure to B. anthracis and, consequently, increased anthrax transmission rates. Accordingly, continued anthrax surveillance and control strategies are critical in this system.

Detection and Identification of Bacillus anthracis: From Conventional to Molecular Microbiology Methods

Rapid and reliable identification of Bacillus anthracis is of great importance, especially in the event of suspected deliberate release of anthrax spores. However, the identification of B. anthracis is challenging due to its high similarity to closely related species. Since Amerithrax in 2001, a lot of effort has been made to develop rapid methods for detection and identification of this microorganism with special focus on easy-to-perform rapid tests for first-line responders. This article presents an overview of the evolution of B. anthracis identification methods from the time of the first description of the microorganism until the present day.