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A DEADLY anthrax outbreak has struck one of Thailand’s top tourist areas, killing a man and hospitalising four others, health officials say.
Authorities are now racing to trace the source of the highly dangerous livestock disease and stop it from spreading.
AlamyLaos in Thailand has been hit by an outbreak of anthrax[/caption]
The disease can leave large dark lesions on the skinScience Photo Library
ReutersAll those infected in Thailand likely caught it through contact with infected cattle or animal products,[/caption]
Anthrax is a serious, life-threatening infection caused by spores of the bacterium Bacillus anthracis.
Known for its links to bioterrorism, the spores can lie dormant in soil for decades before infecting humans through cuts or contact with animals.
A 53-year-old victim, from Mukdahan near the Laos border, died after developing a dark lesion on his hand days after slaughtering a cow on April 24.
By April 27, his lymph nodes had swollen and he suffered dizziness and seizures.
He sought treatment at Don Tan Hospital but died on April 30, just three days after first getting help, local media reports say.
Lab tests confirmed anthrax infection.
This is Thailand’s first anthrax death in 25 years.
The dead man had been exposed after a cow was slaughtered during a religious ceremony, according to early investigations.
The meat was later distributed and consumed within the village.
Four others in the same province also fell ill, all linked to infected cattle or meat.
Three have recovered, while a fifth case was reported on May 28.
Officials have quarantined animals, vaccinated cattle within five kilometres, and disinfected 23 high-risk households.
Samples from meat, knives, chopping boards, and soil tested positive for anthrax spores.
More than 600 people exposed to infected livestock or meat are being monitored.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said local authorities had “identified and provided post-exposure prophylaxis to all high-risk contacts,” and “implemented a robust set of control measures.”
They added: “Currently, due to the robust public health measures implemented by Thailand, the risk of international disease spread through animal movement remains low.”
But they warned of risks to trade and tourism if the outbreak isn’t contained.
“Any decisions regarding international travel and trade should be based on a thorough risk assessment and should be proportionate to the actual public health risks involved,” they added.
No travel advice has been issued by the UK government. In the UK, anthrax is rare but not unheard of.
NHS data shows three cases in England during 2023-2024, mostly inhalational anthrax or sepsis linked to drug use rather than cutaneous infections.
Signs of anthrax infection
What is anthrax?
Anthrax is caused by a spore-forming bacteria called Bacillus anthracis and typically affects cows, sheep and goats but can also spread to people.
The bacteria produce potent toxins which are responsible for the symptoms.
The most common form is anthrax of the skin, when spores get into cuts or scratches, leading to black bumpy sores, headaches, muscle aches, fever and vomiting.
Gastrointestinal anthrax is caught from eating meat from an infected animal and can lead to severe abdominal pain, vomiting of blood and severe diarrhoea.
The rarest and most severe form of human anthrax is when the spores reach the lungs, which can cause severe breathing problems. Inhaled anthrax, if untreated, can have a fatality rate as high as 90 per cent.
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