BANGKOK: Anthrax cases in Mukdahan province have risen to two, with one death, after one of three suspected patients tested positive, according to the Mukdahan Provincial Public Health Office.
The new case brings the total number of confirmed anthrax cases in Don Tan district to two. One of the cases resulted in death. The positive result was confirmed via the RT-PCR method. Test results for the remaining two suspected patients are expected to be released tomorrow.
Dr Narong Chankaew, chief of the Mukdahan Provincial Public Health Office, said the three patients were close friends of the deceased, a 53-year-old man who had slaughtered a cow and distributed the meat to villagers during a religious festival. The group reportedly consumed undercooked beef together.
According to Narong, the first patient developed a lesion on his right hand on April 24 and was hospitalized on April 27. His condition worsened, with the wound turning black, swelling of lymph nodes under his right armpit, fainting, and seizures before he passed away during treatment.
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) confirmed on Thursday that the cause of death was anthrax, after lab tests detected Bacillus anthracis, the bacterium responsible for the disease.
Narong added that the newly confirmed patient has developed symptoms, including a hand lesion and body rash. He is currently receiving treatment at Mukdahan Hospital and is expected to recover within approximately two weeks, as he has no underlying conditions—unlike the first patient, who had diabetes.
As of Friday (May 2), 638 individuals have been identified as potentially exposed to the infection. These include 36 people involved in the slaughter of the animal, 472 who consumed raw meat, and 130 household contacts. All exposed individuals are being administered a seven-day course of doxycycline as a preventive measure.
Narong emphasised that anthrax is a zoonotic disease, meaning it is transmitted from animals to humans and not from person to person.
He urged residents to avoid consuming raw meat and to seek medical care if they notice any unusual symptoms.
The Department of Livestock Development reported no prior cases of anthrax in local animals and is currently investigating the source of the infection. – The Nation/ANN
