In August 1965, some sufferers from anthrax were found unexpectedly in Horikiri district of NishineTown, Iwate prefecture.
Through the further investigation it became clear that four cows had died of anthrax by then and. as many as 356 persons had happened to be involved in handling and disposing these infected animals. Of them, some people were said to have ingested the meat of one of the dead cows.
Finally, 7 persons were recognized as having the manifestation of cutaneous anthrax. Suspected. for intestinal anthrax were 102 persons. Nine out of them were affected seriously.
The fact that so many people were affected with anthrax at a time is surprising.
Bacteriological and histopathological investigation was carried out on the cutaneous lesion, from which Bacillus anthracis was isolated.
The patients were treated with several antibiotics (penicillin, streptomycin and chloramphenicol etc.) All of them recovered between one and three weeks.
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