JIZAN, 15 July 2004 — Interior Minister Prince Naif demanded an immediate explanation from both Minister of Health Dr. Hamad Al-Manie and Minister of Agriculture Dr. Fahd Balghaneim on measures taken by the two ministries to contain the outbreak of Malta fever (brucellosis) in Jizan recently. He has also called for details over the infection of livestock in the area with the same disease.
Information coming from Amoud village in the Al-Reeth area of Jizan indicates that Maltese fever has infected adults and children as well as animals in the region. Citizens had complained to the local branch of the Agricultural Ministry and asked for their animals to be injected, but the authorities apparently failed to respond.
Dr. Yakub Al-Mazrou, assistant deputy minister for preventive medicine in the Ministry of Health, told the Saudi Press Agency that 25 cases of Malta Fever had been recorded in the village in the Al-Reeth region between the beginning of March to May.
He said that the Malta Fever is a zoonotic (transferable from animals to humans) bacterial disease that affects animals mainly goats, camels dogs and cattle. Transmission of the disease occurs by contact with infected meat, placenta of infected animals, or ingestion of un-pasteurized milk or cheese. The illness may be chronic and persist for years.
All cases have been treated in Beesh hospital and no deaths were recorded.
In a coordinated program between health and agriculture ministries took the necessary steps to inoculate animals to prevent diseases spreading to humans. Detecting infected animals controls the infection at its source. Vaccination is available for cattle, but not humans. A combination antibiotic therapy is the usual step to treat and prevent relapse of infection. Longer courses of therapy may be required for complications.
