The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has officially confirmed the presence of anthrax in the country. The alarming discovery was made on a farm in Suleja, Niger State, where animals displaying symptoms suggestive of anthrax were reported.
The farm, situated at Gajiri along the busy Abuja-Kaduna expressway in Suleja Local Government Area, housed various animals, including cattle, sheep, and goats. Disturbingly, some of these animals showed visible signs of anthrax infection, such as blood oozing from their body openings, including the anus, nose, eyes, and ears.
Columba T. Vakuru, the Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria, issued an official statement on Monday, July 17, 2023, to address the concerning situation. He confirmed that a Rapid Response team, comprising federal and state One Health Professional experts, was dispatched to the farm to conduct initial investigations and collect samples from the affected animals. Subsequent laboratory tests carried out at the National Veterinary Research Institute laboratory confirmed the diagnosis, marking the first recorded case of anthrax in Nigeria in recent years.
The federal government urgently appeals to all Nigerians to stay vigilant and immediately report any cases of animals exhibiting bleeding from their body openings to veterinary authorities or agriculture extension workers. They also emphasized the importance of not attempting to process or move any dead or sick animal, urging the public to quickly reach out to veterinary doctors or the authorities at the Ministry of Agriculture in their respective states.
It is worth noting that the federal government had issued prior warnings following an anthrax outbreak in Northern Ghana, where all infected animals had tragically succumbed to the disease.
Anthrax is caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus and predominantly affects livestock such as cattle, sheep, and goats. However, it poses a potential risk to humans who come into contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products, such as meat, wool, or skins. Skin-based anthrax can result from open wounds or contact with contaminated objects, while inhalation anthrax occurs when spores are inhaled.