Maha: Cattle affected by zoonotic disease in Wardha district; committees formed to create awareness

A zoonotic disease has affected cows and buffaloes in some villages of Maharashtras Wardha district, prompting the administration to form committees at civic and gram panchayat levels to create awareness and curb the spread of infection, an official said on Tuesday.

A zoonotic disease has affected cows and buffaloes in some villages of Maharashtra's Wardha district, prompting the administration to form committees at civic and gram panchayat levels to create awareness and curb the spread of infection, an official said on Tuesday. As per an order issued by district collector Rahul Kardile, over the last few days, cattle deaths were reported in Umri, Peth Ahmedpur, Bharaswada, Delwadi, Khadki, Rasulabad, Dahegaon villages in the district. The animal husbandry department has taken cognisance of the development and started treatment of ailing animals, the order stated.

Zoonotic disease is an infection that can be transmitted naturally from animals to humans or vice versa.

A team of experts from the Nagpur Veterinary College and Regional Diagnostic Laboratory visited the affected villages and collected samples of the infected animals on August 25, the order said. The test results have revealed that some animals were infected with leptospirosis, which is a zoonotic disease. However, the risk factor is less as the leptospirosis and theileriosis bacteria were only found in the blood samples and not the urine samples of animals.

The administration has set up committees at civic and gram panchayat levels to create awareness and take preventive measures, the order stated.