Cutaneous anthrax is endemic in Georgia. The EIDSS program captures notifications from 72 municipal public health centers. It links urgent notification, case investigation data, and laboratory data on an online basis. Eleven virulent and 4 non-virulent strains of B. anthracis have been isolated. Genotype GK 35 and GK 44 are strains found in the Turkish-Southern Caucasian region. It is hypothesized that human rates are caused by increased contact with infected animals. The recent re-introduction of animal vaccination programs in 2013-2014 heightens interest is establishing a defensible 6-year baseline trend in humans.
Objective
To characterize descriptive trends using data collected by the national Electronic Integrated Disease Surveillance System (EIDSS, 2008-2013).