14-year-old dies due to Anthrax in East China

SHANDONG: A 14-year-old has died due to Anthrax in Shandong province, China, reported Caixin Global.

According to China Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CHINA CDC), the 14-year-old student is the second person who has succumbed due to Anthrax. The patient died on August 6, after leaving a large urban hospital voluntarily, according to the report published in China CDC Weekly, reported China Daily. He died after showing symptoms such as fever and sudden loss of consciousness, China CDC Weekly report said.

Another 35-year-old man, who works as a butcher, is under isolated treatment after infecting with Anthrax, reported Caixin Global. The patient slaughtered sick cattle at the student’s home on July 25, the report said. He was confirmed as being infected with the bacteria and is receiving treatment at a hospital, reported China Daily.

The cattle suspected of carrying the anthrax were purchased from the northeastern province of Jilin in early July. Investigations found “black blood flowed on the ground, and internal organs emitted a peculiar smell during the slaughtering process,” the China CDC Weekly report said.

Anthrax mainly affects herbivorous animals such as cattle, but can also cause severe illnesses in humans. Those involved in breeding, slaughtering and selling livestock or processing hides are more at risk of exposure to the bacteria, according to a recent notice issued by the China CDC.

The bacteria can spread through contact with the skin, breathing it in or ingesting it and can attack the skin, intestines and lungs. Pulmonary anthrax, the most lethal form, has a fatality rate of more than 90 per cent, said the notice. Human-to-human transmission is possible but very rare, the report said. (ANI)