Health and disaster management officials in Zambia have issued a public advisory following an anthrax outbreak affecting wildlife in the Munyamadzi Game Management Area of Muchinga province. The outbreak has resulted in the deaths of 46 hippos, eight elephants, five buffaloes, and one crocodile since July. Authorities report that 12 people have contracted anthrax after consuming meat from the infected animals, though no fatalities have been recorded among the affected individuals, who are receiving medical treatment.
The disaster management agency has urged the public to refrain from consuming, selling, distributing, or handling meat from animals that have died suddenly or from suspected anthrax. Officials have also called for hunting activities in the affected area to be suspended pending further investigation into the disease’s extent and associated risks. The Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit emphasized that local communities’ reliance on wildlife as a food source has contributed to human exposure in this instance.
Anthrax, caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, is endemic to Zambia, though human deaths from the disease remain uncommon. The pathogen persists as dormant spores in soil that can survive for extended periods before infecting animals through inhalation or wounds. The disease primarily affects grazing animals and can cause sudden mortality. Transmission to humans typically occurs through contact with contaminated animal products or handling of infected wildlife.
Zambia has experienced significant anthrax outbreaks previously. In 2023, the country faced what officials described as an unprecedented outbreak that resulted in four deaths and spread across nine of the country’s ten provinces. An earlier large-scale outbreak in 2011 resulted in more than 500 cases, including five fatalities linked to consumption of meat from infected hippos. Current surveillance and laboratory investigations remain ongoing to determine the full geographical extent of the present outbreak.
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