An anthrax outbreak has killed at least 30 hippos in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) over the past month, prompting authorities to monitor the affected areas and manage infected carcasses. No human infections have been reported so far, although experts warn that some cases could go undetected.
The first carcass was discovered in September in Virunga National Park in the eastern DRC. Laboratory tests confirmed that the animal had died from anthrax, a serious infection caused by bacteria.
The outbreak is unfolding as health authorities and conservation groups in the DRC contend with humanitarian challenges linked to large-scale Ebola and cholera outbreaks, as well as armed conflict in the region. Researchers say anthrax in wildlife will place additional pressure on already limited resources.
Monitoring the outbreak
Anthrax occurs naturally in soil around the world. Livestock and wild animals can become infected when they encounter spores of the bacterium.
Officials at Virunga National Park said in a statement that teams were monitoring the affected areas and coordinating the safe handling and disposal of carcasses. They said there had been no new hippo deaths in the previous two weeks.
David Hayman, a disease ecologist at Massey University in Palmerston North, New Zealand, said the main risks to people come from handling infected carcasses or eating contaminated meat. Anthrax can be treated with antibiotics when detected early, but it can be fatal if left untreated.
No human cases have been reported during the current outbreak. However, Charity Mutesi, an epidemiologist at the Uganda National Institute of Public Health in Kampala, said infections could go undetected if people choose to remain at home rather than visit clinics.
People may use herbs to treat lesions caused by some forms of anthrax, Mutesi said. Others seek care from drug shops, private clinics or traditional healers, who do not report cases to the country’s disease-surveillance system.
Recurring outbreaks
The DRC has experienced several anthrax outbreaks affecting animals and people in recent years. In March 2025, an outbreak killed approximately 65 hippos. In the region bordering Uganda, 15 people tested positive for anthrax and two died.
“It’s very worrying that these outbreaks are continuing,” said Ricardo Soares Magalhães, an epidemiologist at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia.
Source: www.nature.com
