Anthrax Outbreak in Virunga National Park

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Key takeaways

An anthrax outbreak at Virunga National Park in DR Congo killed at least 30 hippos, sparking emergency disease controls.
Established in 1925 and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, Virunga National Park covers 7,800 sq. km in the Albertine Rift Valley.
Anthrax is a non-contagious bacterial disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, whose spores survive in soil for decades.
Early treatment of anthrax relies on antibiotics like ciprofloxacin or doxycycline, alongside specialized antitoxin therapies like raxibacumab for severe cases.

A severe anthrax outbreak in Virunga National Park has killed at least 30 hippos since September.
Park authorities in DR Congo have put strict surveillance and preventive measures in place to stop animal-to-human disease transmission.

King Albert I of Belgium founded the protected area in 1925 under the original name of Albert National Park.
The authorities initially established the sanctuary to protect endangered mountain gorillas from human threats.
Over time, officials expanded the park boundaries to cover Lake Edward, the Rwindi plains, and the Rwenzori Mountains.
The reserve took its current name of Virunga National Park in 1969.
Today, the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature works together with the Virunga Foundation to manage the park.

This sanctuary is Africa's oldest national park and earned UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 1979.
The park sits in the Albertine Rift Valley in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and spans 7,800 sq. km along the borders of Uganda and Rwanda.
Its rich landscape changes from lowland savannas, wetlands, and tropical forests to the glacier-covered peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains.
The park hosts two of Africa's most active volcanoes, Mount Nyiragongo and Mount Nyamuragira, inside the Virunga volcanic chain.
It acts as a key refuge for endangered great apes, including mountain gorillas, eastern lowland gorillas, and eastern chimpanzees.
The protected zone nurtures extraordinary wildlife, including 218 mammal species, 706 bird species, 109 reptile species, and 78 amphibian species like forest elephants and okapis.

Anthrax is a serious infectious disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, a Gram-positive bacterium.
The bacterium forms tough, dormant spores that can stay alive inside soil for many decades.
Extreme weather events like heavy rainfall or severe droughts expose these buried soil spores to grazing animals.

Cutaneous anthrax enters through broken skin after contact with infected animals, forming a painless sore with a distinctive black center.
Gastrointestinal anthrax spreads when a person eats raw or undercooked meat from infected livestock, causing internal bleeding and severe stomach pain.
Inhalation anthrax happens when someone breathes in airborne spores, leading to severe breathing difficulties and life-threatening bloodstream infections.
The disease is non-contagious between people because humans almost always catch it directly from contaminated soil or infected animal products.

Doctors treat patients early using standard antibiotics like ciprofloxacin or doxycycline to stop the bacterial growth.
Hospital care for severe cases involves giving a combination of intravenous antibiotics directly into the patient's bloodstream.
Medical teams also use specialized antitoxin therapies like raxibacumab or anthrax immunoglobulin to neutralize dangerous bacterial toxins in the body.