KARACHI, Oct 30: Pakistan Medical Association, expressing concern over the international media’s handling of the spread of anthrax, has assured the people of Pakistan, in general, not to worry about its spread as the disease is not contagious in nature.

“The press and media campaign unleashed by the international media is either deliberate or due to ignorance of basic facts, as it appears to be psychological warfare aimed at drawing public attention or misleading them,” said the PMA’s Karachi Chapter President, Prof S. Tippu Sultan, while briefing newsmen at PMA House, on Tuesday, about the current situation in Pakistan and other Third-world countries with regard to the spread of anthrax.

He said that it is basically a disease of animals and is caused by Bacillus Anthracis which is found naturally in the environment.

In their natural state, anthrax spores are found in the soil throughout Asia and Africa. In the US, anthrax spores are common in the rural soils of Texas, Oklahoma and the Mississippi valley.

Anthrax spores often contaminate goat and other animal hides. Only the germinating form of Bacillus Anthracis is fatal, and it is not yet established if it proliferates outside the animal’s body,” he added.

Tracing the inception of the disease, the PMA chief said that it was discovered in 1877 by a German bacteriologist, Robert Koch. Many other scientists, specially in the Western world, have used anthrax in basic biological research.

The spore forms of Bacillus Anthracis remain dormant until they find a favourable environment for germinating and initiating the systemic infectious stage,” he pointed out.

In terms of using anthrax as a weapon, he said that in order to create a weapon from anthrax, it is required that a large number of spores be grown in laboratories, purified and then combined with a fine powdery substance, ensuring they do not clump together. This powder also helps these spores to remain airborne after they are released.

According to him, to be effective as a weapon, anthrax spores must remain airborne in sufficient concentration to allow the victim to inhale a large number of them. For acquiring the disease by any individual, 8,000 spores must be inhaled into the lungs.

Studies have shown that workers in the skin and hide industry are routinely exposed to more than 500 inhaled spores over an 8- hour shift but still do not develop the disease. He claimed that the world over, only 11 to 13 laboratories are capable of developing anthrax artificially and all of them are situated in developed Western countries.

The PMA would like to add that poor and developing countries do not have these sophisticated and dedicated facilities due to lack of financial and human resources,” he observed.

He said that patients suffering from the condition do not need quarantine. There are three types of anthrax viz cutaneous, gastrointestinal and inhalational. There are at least five or more antibiotics of different companies available freely to treat any anthrax case which includes Amoxicillin, Doxycycline, Ciprofloxacine, Ofloxacin, Levofloxacin, Penicillin and others.

Dr Sher Shah, while quoting the only case of anthrax which has come to the fore in Karachi, expressed his reservation over its veracity, saying the claim that the victim was extended treatment at the Aga Khan University so covertly manifests its authenticity.

The PMA General Secretary, Dr Habib Soomro and ex-General Secretary and President, Commonwealth Medical Association, Dr Kalim Butt, also attended the briefing.—PPI