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Occurrence of anthrax in Kars district, Turkey
1Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Kafkas, 36040 Kars, Turkey. salihotlu@hotmail.com
Acta Veterinaria Hungarica
|June 14, 2002
Summary
Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis) is prevalent in Kars, Turkey cattle and sheep. Bacteriologic methods confirmed high infection rates, with 89 human cutaneous anthrax cases also reported during the study period.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Zoonotic Disease Epidemiology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Anthrax is a serious zoonotic disease caused by Bacillus anthracis.
- Understanding anthrax prevalence in livestock is crucial for public health.
- The Kars district in Turkey has been a focus for anthrax surveillance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of anthrax in cattle and sheep using bacteriologic methods.
- To investigate the distribution of human anthrax cases in the Kars district.
- To establish the period of study between January 2000 and September 2001.
Main Methods:
- Bacteriologic isolation and identification of Bacillus anthracis from suspected animal samples.
- Analysis of governmental health records for human anthrax diagnoses.
- Geographic and temporal distribution analysis within the Kars district.
Main Results:
- Bacillus anthracis was identified in 91% of cattle (34/38) and 64% of sheep (11/17) samples.
- A high prevalence of anthrax was confirmed in the studied livestock populations.
- 89 cases of cutaneous anthrax in humans were recorded in the Kars district during the study period.
Conclusions:
- The study confirms a significant prevalence of anthrax in cattle and sheep in the Kars district.
- The high number of human cutaneous anthrax cases indicates a substantial zoonotic risk.
- Effective surveillance and control measures are essential to mitigate anthrax transmission in this region.