Lab studies confirm anthrax in one person: Health Ministry

YEREVAN, October 22. / ARKA /. Laboratory studies have confirmed anthrax in one of 21 residents of Gegharkunik province who were hospitalized with symptoms of the disease, the ministry of health said in a statement posted on its official website.

The ministry said it had received reports from Vardenis district in Gegharkunik province that 21 people were hospitalized with the symptoms of anthrax. Later the ministry reported about a suspected case of the disease in Yerevan.

"After receiving the report the ministry of health conducted studies and implemented a set of preventive measures. Laboratory samples taken from 15 people who were hospitalized on October 17, confirmed anthrax in one person,’ the statement said.

It said nonspecific infectious agents of the disease were revealed in nine people while samples taken from other five appeared to be negative. The condition of patients is satisfactory with a recovery tendency, it said.

The ministry said laboratory tests of samples taken from the remaining hospitalized people go on along with new preventive measures. "The epidemic situation is under control," the statement said.

Anthrax is an acute infectious disease that occurs in the form of skin, rarely intestinal, pulmonary and septicemic form. The source of infection are cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. Human infection occur usually through contacts with animals while cutting animal carcasses, processing skins and eating food contaminated with spores, as well as through contaminated water, soil and fur coats. No human to human infections were reported. -0-