re: ELEPHANT IVORY ANTHRAX Anthrax Anthrax is a highly infectious disease, a bacterium that strikes elephants of all ages. Anthrax also attacks cattle, horses, water buffalo and other warm-blooded animals, including humans who work with those animals. When the bacteria enter the bloodstream, they multiply very quickly. Septicaemia, a blood infection, usually follows. Death happens very quickly, usually within one or two days. Sometimes the elephant dies very soon after the sickness is recognized. Even after elephants deaths, the anthrax bacteria infect not only their carcasses but also their skins and even their ivory. The path of infection: The anthrax bacteria create spores, very hardy organisms that can survive for many decades and are highly resistant to heat and to chemical disinfectants. Domesticated elephants usually catch anthrax when grazing on infected pastures or eating contaminated food. Infection happens most often when grass is low and scarce, and often becomes epidemic when heavy rains follow the dry season. Infection can occur through respiration, exposure to blood, lymphatic fluids, and dung. — From Elephant care manual for mahouts and camp managers - FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Good to know. - BARB fao.org/docrep/008/ae943e/ae943e0c.htm
Posted on: Thu, 10 Jul 2014 11:10:56 +0000
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