Role of Food Insecurity in Outbreak of Anthrax Infections among Humans and Hippopotamuses Living in a Game Reserve Area, Rural Zambia

Lehman, Mark W.; Craig, Allen S.; Malama, Constantine; Kapina-Kany’anga, Muzala; Malenga, Philip; Munsaka, Fanny; Muwowo, Sergio; Shadomy, Sean; Marx, Melissa A.

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Role of Food Insecurity in Outbreak of Anthrax Infections among Humans and Hippopotamuses Living in a Game Reserve Area, Rural Zambia

Supporting Files Public Domain

Sep 2017
By Lehman, Mark W. ; Craig, Allen S. ; Malama, Constantine ; ...

File Language:

English

Details

Alternative Title:

Emerg Infect Dis
Personal Author:

Lehman, Mark W. ; Craig, Allen S. ; Malama, Constantine ; Kapina-Kany’anga, Muzala ; Malenga, Philip ; Munsaka, Fanny ; Muwowo, Sergio ; Shadomy, Sean ; Marx, Melissa A.
Description:

In September 2011, a total of 511 human cases of anthrax (Bacillus anthracis) infection and 5 deaths were reported in a game management area in the district of Chama, Zambia, near where 85 hippopotamuses (Hippopotamus amphibious) had recently died of suspected anthrax. The human infections generally responded to antibiotics. To clarify transmission, we conducted a cross-sectional, interviewer-administered household survey in villages where human anthrax cases and hippopotamuses deaths were reported. Among 284 respondents, 84% ate hippopotamus meat before the outbreak. Eating, carrying, and preparing meat were associated with anthrax infection. Despite the risk, 23% of respondents reported they would eat meat from hippopotamuses found dead again because of food shortage (73%), lack of meat (12%), hunger (7%), and protein shortage (5%). Chronic food insecurity can lead to consumption of unsafe foods, leaving communities susceptible to zoonotic infection. Interagency cooperation is necessary to prevent outbreaks by addressing the root cause of exposure, such as food insecurity.
Subjects:

Adolescent Adult Aged Animals Anthrax Anti-Bacterial Agents Artiodactyla Bacillus Anthracis Cross-Sectional Studies Disease Outbreaks Family Characteristics Female Food Supply Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Humans Male Meat Middle Aged Risk Factors Rural Population Surveys And Questionnaires Survival Analysis Zoonoses
Source:

Emerg Infect Dis. 23(9):1471-1477.
Pubmed ID:

28820129
Pubmed Central ID:

PMC5572886
Document Type:

Journal Article
Place as Subject:

Zambia
Volume:

23
Issue:

9
Collection(s):

Emerging Infectious Diseases
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha256:b1d82731161e09f71884e50a883cc490e00eebb81f50f5f57717e99a794adf5e
Download URL:

https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/47952/cdc_47952_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF - 3.08 MB ]

File Language:

English

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