28 Dec 2021 Brucellosis
Brucellosis- Today Current Affairs
- The recent rising cases of Brucellosis in the state of West Bengal amidst the dangers of the Omicron variant has raised concerns.
- In this state, this disease is increasing rapidly in animals. On the global front, last year hundreds of people were found to be suffering from Brucellosis infection in Lanzhou city of Gansu province located in the Northwest region of China.
- Brucellosis is a bacterial disease. It infects cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, dogs.
- It is also known as wave fever, Mediterranean fever and Malta fever or fever. It is a zoonotic disease i.e. animal borne disease. Such diseases which are caused by animals are called zoonotic diseases.
- It affects the bones, skin and liver, as well as the central nervous system and the gastro-intestinal tract.
- It is caused by a bacterium called Brucella. The disease in humans usually occurs when they come into direct contact with infected animals.
- This disease is also transmitted to humans by drinking the meat of infected animals or the contaminated products of such animals. It is transmitted through pasteurized milk and cheese from infected animals.
- According to WHO, person to person infection is very rare. But it is clear from this that the possibility of human-to-human transmission cannot be ruled out.
- Humans can become infected by ingesting infected animal products or by inhaling bacteria present in the air.
- The World Health Organization says that it can take a week to two months for symptoms to appear, but symptoms often appear in 2 to 4 weeks.
- Its symptoms are flu, fever, sweating and fatigue, loss of appetite, headacheand weight loss and muscle pain.
- Many symptoms can last for a long time and some never go away such as frequent fever, joint pain, testis, heart and liver swelling, fatigue, depression etc.
Solutions in India: The Hindu Analysis
- 13, 343.00 crore for the control of Foot and Mouth Disease and Brucellosis by Hon’ble Prime Minister in September, 2019. Launched for five years (from 2019-20 to 2023-24).
- National Animal Disease Control Program (NADCP) is a flagship program under which 100% vaccination of cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat and pig population for FMD and 100% bovine female calves aged 4-8 months for Brucellosis to be done. The Hindu Analysis.
- The overall objective of the National Animal Disease Control Program (NADCP) for (Foot and Mouth Disease- FMD) and Brucellosis is to control FMD by 2025 through vaccination and its elimination by 2030.
- National Animal Disease Control Program (NADCP) for FMD and Brucellosis is a Central Sector Scheme where 100% funds will be provided by the Central Government to the States/UTs.
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