This Day in History: 2 April 2020
2 April 1979
41 years ago, today, the world's first anthrax epidemic begun in Ekaterinburg, Russia. Unfortunately, by the time it ended 6 weeks later, 62 people lost their lives, and another 32 gained the serious illness. The town is now known as Sverdlovsk, but during the Soviet times, it was Ekaterinburg, and it suffered livestock losses due to the disease. Initially, when the first cases were reported, the Soviet government announced that the cause of the illness was tainted meat that the victims has eaten. Since the town was known for its biological weapons plant, most of the world was sceptical of the Soviet's explanation.
It was not until 1992 that the epidemic was finally explained. Workers at the weapons plant had failed to replace a crucial filter, which caused the release of anthrax spores. The wind carried these to a farming area, thus infecting livestock and people. Anthrax is a type of bacteria that can enter the body through many routes and is most deadly when inhaled. The production of toxic molecules is prompted, that destroy essential proteins in the body's cells, most commonly in the lymph nodes. In the United States, in 2001, anthrax spores were used as a weapon of terror, as they were mailed to media organisations and members of the US Senate, causing 5 deaths and another 13 infected.
Want to find out more about the Sverdlovsk anthrax leak? Click here for more information.
No comments:
Post a Comment