AN OUTBREAK OF ANTHRAX MENINGOENCEPHALITIS

We report a common-source outbreak of anthrax meningoencephalitis in C hittoor district in Andhra Pradesh, southern India, in October 1990. T he source of infection was the carcass of a sheep. Of 5 persons who sk inned and cut up its meat for human consumption, 4 developed anthrax m eningoencephalitis and one a malignant pustule. Another person who wra pped the meat in a cloth and carried it home on his head developed a m alignant pustule on his forehead and also meningoencephalitis. All sub jects with anthrax meningoencephalitis died, but the one with only a m alignant pustule recovered. A large number of people who cooked or ate the cooked meat of the dead sheep remained well. The medical, public health and veterinary authorities were alerted and sheep, goats and ca ttle in the locality were immunized with anthrax vaccine. Although rul es against consumption of meat of dead animals exist, their violation shows a lack of public awareness. Health education should be undertake n to correct this situation.