Prelims – Current events of National and International importance| General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity.
Why in News?
Recently, the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, issued a revised national action plan on glanders.
- Glanders is a highly contagious and often fatal disease of equines.
Equines are a group of mammals that belong to the family Equidae. Equines are known for their slender legs, hooves, and long faces with large, expressive eyes. Example Horse, Donkey, Mules.
- It can also affect other animals and humans.
- It was caused by the bacterium Burkholderia mallei.
- Clinical Signs – It causes nodules and ulcerative lesions in the respiratory tract and lungs.
- A distinct cutaneous form, known as ‘farcy’, is also observed, marked by skin nodules and swollen lymph vessels.
- Transmission – Ingestion is the primary route of infection, especially through shared feeding or watering sources.
- It is transmitted to humans through contact with tissues or body fluids of infected animals.
- The bacteria enter the body through cuts or abrasions in the skin and through mucosal surfaces such as the conjunctiva and nose.
- Symptoms – Fever with chills and sweating, Muscle aches, Chest pain, Muscle tightness, Headache, Nasal discharge, Light sensitivity (sometimes with excessive tearing of the eyes).
- Global Occurrence – It continues to appear sporadically in parts of Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and South American countries.
- Treatment – Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), A sulphonamide combination.
- Piperacillin-tazobactam is being considered due to emerging resistance.
- Legal Frame work – Recognized as a notifiable disease under the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals (PCICDA) Act, 2009.
- It is a listed disease as described in the terrestrial animal health code of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
- Recent Revised National Action Plan on Glanders
- Major Revisions
- Reducing the infected zone from 5 km to 2 km,
- Redefining the surveillance area as 2-10 km instead of 5-25 km, and
- Aligning the restrictions accordingly, which will now apply only up to 10 km.
- Enhanced Surveillance & Reporting.
- Strengthened Quarantine & Movement Control Rapid Response Mechanism.
- Capacity Building & Training.
- Public Awareness & Stakeholder Engagement.
- Research & Laboratory Support.
References
- PIB| Revised Action Plan on Glanders
- National centre for disease control| Glanders
