Cooking meat properly does not kill anthrax, says veterinary doctor

Obi Ogar, director of veterinary service, Cross River ministry of agriculture, says properly boiled meat cannot kill the pathogens causing anthrax diseases.

Speaking in an interview with NAN on Saturday, Ogar said the bacterium can be killed through incineration.

Anthrax is a deadly infection triggered by a spore-forming bacterium known as bacillus anthracis.

It is a zoonotic disease that mainly affects animals but is also transmissible to humans who come in contact with an infected animal or by inhaling spores.

The bacteria exist in spores and can be found in the soil, wool or hair of infected animals.

Last week, the federal ministry of agriculture and rural development said possible cases of anthrax disease were discovered among animals on a farm in the Suleja area of Niger state.

The veterinarian, reacting to claims that the bacterium can be destroyed when infected meats are well-boiled, urged Nigerians to desist from consuming bush meat until the disease is contained.

“This organism is not killed by the heat from our kitchens but from incineration, thereby burning the substance to ashes which renders the meat of no use to the owner,” NAN quoted Ogar as saying.

He said animals that die from anthrax should be thrown in a deep grave, adding that disinfectants and chemicals should be used on the dead animals before wrapping to avoid any escape.

He asked Nigerians to patronise approved meat markets and be cautious of places where they buy meats for consumption.