Environmental Relationships and Anthrax Epidemiology: Field Experiences of Host Resistance as Opposed to Dose-Dependent Experiments

This article concentrates on the arguments for host resistance. Host resistance is virtually impossible to measure objectively in the field. To provide a subjective measure of host resistance during anthrax outbreaks, we suggest the use of the opinions of livestock owners and or their veterinary practitioners and or field workers during investigations of anthrax outbreaks. When veterinary personal work in the field they are much like field biologists. In some ways field biologists better appreciate environmental factors, population ecology and other perspectives that are of use to epidemiologists. The more diverse the information the better the epidemiology is understood. To this effect we present our personal anecdotal and theoretical ideas from our experiences as well as a collection of bibliographic observations from others'. Our conclusions are that a combination of latent infections and reduced host resistance based on the host's relationship with its environment would better explain the epidemiology of severe infections in anthrax outbreaks for which large quantities of spores have not been located. This applies especially if the area has a history of the disease and/or if necropsies have shown the presence of latent infections (or titers) in otherwise normal animals in the area and/or if environmental conditions are considered stressful and include intense insect activity.PMID:38309609 | DOI:10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107128
Source: Acta Tropica - Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Source Type: research