The Nigerian government says it is planning a nationwide vaccination exercise for livestock after the country recorded its first case of Anthrax in animals.
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture announced the first case of Anthrax, a deadly zoonotic disease, on Monday.
The anthrax case was detected on Friday in a private farm in Suleja area in Niger state near the capital Abuja, the country's Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Columba Vakuru said in a statement.
A laboratory test was carried out after animals in the farm showed symptoms of the disease and the test results confirmed it was anthrax. The farm has been put under quarantine as part of measures to contain the diseases quickly in Nigeria.
The government also announced plans to conduct nationwide vaccination of cattle, sheep and goats against anthrax, the state TV NTA reports.
Surveillance of anthrax will be heightened in livestock farms, markets and abattoirs, the authorities say.
What is anthrax
The confirmation of the anthrax case in Nigeria comes as Ghana, another country in West Africa, is trying to contain an outbreak of the disease.
Anthrax is a deadly bacterial disease affecting both humans and animals. It is an infection caused by the spore-forming bacteria called Bacillus anthracis.
It is a zoonosis disease transmissible from animals to humans that typically affects ruminants such as cows, sheep, and goats, the World Health Organisation says.
''The bacteria produce extremely potent toxins which are responsible for the symptoms, causing a high lethality rate,'' the WHO says.
Humans can catch the disease from infected animals or through contaminated animal products, experts say. ''Anthrax does not typically spread from animal to animal or human to human,'' WHO says.
''When anthrax spores are ingested, inhaled or enter the body through skin abrasions or cuts, they can germinate, multiply and produce toxin. Insects can transmit the bacterium between animals,'' it adds.
Humans can get infected if they handle or are involved in the slaughter of a sick animal, or are in contact with contaminated animal products.
Anthrax can also be contracted in laboratory accidents. Furthermore, anthrax can be contracted by heroin-injecting drug-users through injection of contaminated heroin.
Prevention measures
WHO says ''preventing the disease in animals will protect human health.'' Breaking the cycle of infection is the basis for control of anthrax in livestock.
In the event of a case or outbreak occurring in livestock, the global health body recommends ''correct disposal of the carcass(es), decontamination of the site(s) and of items used to test and dispose of the carcass(es), and initiation of treatment and/or vaccination of other animals as appropriate.''
The best disposal method is incineration and the ''carcass should not be opened, since exposure to oxygen will allow the bacteria to form spores,'' it adds.
''Early detection of outbreaks, quarantine of affected premises, destruction of diseased animals and fomites, and implementation of appropriate sanitary procedures at abattoirs and dairy factories will ensure the safety of products of animal origin intended for human consumption,'' the WHO advises.
