London man dies from anthrax
03/11/2008
A craftsman from London has died from inhaling anthrax after using animal skins to make drums.
Fernando Gomez died in hospital about a week after becoming ill.
Anthrax is a disease caused by the organism bacillus anthracis. It mostly affects hoofed animals, which become infected after ingesting dormant forms of the bacteria—the spores—in soil. The spores can remain dormant in the soil for many years, which can then put at risk people who work with animals, or with untanned skins and hides, meat or wool.
Seven other people who were involved in making instruments with Mr Gomez and may have come into contact with the skins have been treated with antibiotics. An adviser to the UK’s health and protection agency, Professor Nigel Lighthfoot, said there was little risk to the wider community. He added: “We are keen to reiterate to all individuals who make drums from imported animal skins that there is a risk of coming into contact with anthrax and that they should ensure they are aware of this and take precautions to protect themselves when making these drums.”
Paul Pearson, director of the UK Leather Federation, later told leatherbiz.com that the tanning process usually leaves hides and skins free from risk, although he pointed out that anthrax spores are “notoriously difficult to destroy entirely”. He explained, however, that it's usually untanned skins that are used in drum-making. “The hides and skins would not normally be tanned,” he said. “This would probably make them too soft and flexible; the normal process is to wet them, stretch them and then dry them on the drum frame—so they would effectively be raw hide. They may or may not have the hair scraped off, and the anthrax spores are most likely to be in the hair than elsewhere, hence this is the most dangerous part of the process.”
He went on to say that anthrax is virtually non-existent in UK domestic animals, but is common in other parts of the world, such as Africa. “Handling and working on unprocessed African hides and skins is a significant risk,” he added.
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