Two patients hospitalised with symptoms of anthrax in Moscow region

Two patients who were hospitalised with suspected anthrax did not reveal the disease, spokespeople for the Ministry of Health of the Moscow Region said.

On March 22, it was reported that two friends who came to the Moscow region from Chuvashia republic were hospitalized with symptoms of anthrax.

"A full range of medical studies was carried out, samples were taken and sent to lab analysis. Preliminary tests have not confirmed the presence of anthrax,” the Ministry of Health said.

First cases of anthrax were reported in Russia on March 15. The infected people were said to be a married couple. The husband became infected while cutting a bull carcass. The man managed to sell about half a ton of the infected meat.

Reference: 

Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. It can occur in four forms: skin, lungs, intestinal, and injection. Symptom onset occurs between one day and more than two months after the infection is contracted. The mortality rates from anthrax vary, depending on exposure, and are approximately 20% for cutaneous anthrax without antibiotics and 25 - 75% for gastrointestinal anthrax; inhalation anthrax has a fatality rate that is 80% or higher.