Several thousand people were infected last year in China with bacteria that cause brucellosis. The pathogens had escaped from a vaccine factory. The authorities had, until then, hidden the extent of the contaminations.
In China, the Lanzhou Pharmaceutical Company, located in the north of the country, is at the heart of the storm. This manufacturer of veterinary vaccines is indeed accused of having used expired disinfectants in the production process of vaccines against brucellosis, a disease which affects farm animals, but which can also be transmitted to humans.
Result:the residual vapors, inherent in the manufacture of these vaccines, were not completely sterilized, ultimately releasing bacteria of the genus Brucella in the air. The incident allegedly took place on July 24, 2019, according to Chinese media PengPai, which revealed the information.
At the time, the authorities tried to minimize the facts. “The aerosol formed by the waste gases containing bacteria can only travel through the air for a limited distance, and the dose is also small “, they wrote in an official press release. As a result of which "there will not be a large number of infected people ". And yet.
Carried by the wind, the pathogens are said to have contaminated their first victims in November at the Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, where they had landed. By the end of December, at least 181 people from the same institute had been infected with brucellosis, according to China's official Xinhua news agency. But that was just the start. To date, 3,245 victims have indeed been identified in this city of almost three million inhabitants.
Since the revelation of this scandal, eight people from the pharmaceutical company have been found responsible. The victims, for their part, should be compensated.
Bacteria of the genus Brucella generally attack ruminants and suids (pigs and wild boars). They can cause, in these animals, abortions, a reduction in fertility and loss of milk, underlines the handles.
In humans, who can in turn become contaminated through contact with these infected animals, or by consuming raw dairy products, the disease results in intermittent fevers, headache and/or generalized weakness. It can also evolve into a chronic form that can induce serious osteo-articular complications, we can also read. Finally, the handles emphasizes that serious forms are exceptional, and that cases of death are very rare.
Also note that in Europe, brucellosis is absent from several countries, including France, Great Britain, Scandinavian countries, the Netherlands, Belgium , or in Austria. On the other hand, the Mediterranean countries and the Balkans are still affected by this disease.
