The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has issued an alert about an outbreak of anthrax, a zoonotic disease, on a farm in Zamfara state. Mr. Ben Goong, Director of Information and Public Relations at the ministry, announced the outbreak on Tuesday in Abuja and called on neighboring states to take immediate action to prevent further spread.
Anthrax is caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis and can affect warm-blooded animals like cattle, sheep, goats, horses, wildlife, and humans. It spreads through contact with the bacterium’s spores found in infectious animal products. Symptoms include fever, coughing, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, itching, and bleeding from major openings. The disease has high morbidity and mortality rates if untreated.
“We urge the public to remain vigilant, report any unusual illnesses in animals or humans, and adhere to all preventive guidelines issued by relevant authorities,” said Goong. “While anthrax is preventable through coordinated efforts such as risk assessment, surveys, and ring vaccination of susceptible animals in high-risk areas, prompt detection and response are critical to containing its spread.”
The first recorded anthrax case in Nigeria occurred in July 2023 on a mixed livestock farm in Niger State, where eight cattle died with symptoms like bleeding from external openings. The outbreak was linked to a recent one in neighboring Ghana. Subsequent outbreaks were reported in Lagos State in July 2023, with six animals testing positive during routine monitoring and 0.3% of 999 new livestock testing positive at the Oko-Oba Slaughterhouse.
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) is taking action to control the disease’s spread. The World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting the Ministry of Health in strengthening case management by training health workers to improve early detection. Meat inspections are being conducted in abattoirs and butcher shops, while healthcare personnel are being mobilized and trained. The laboratory continues to operate under a One Health approach for diagnostics, and procurement of reagents and strict disinfection protocols are being prioritized.