glanders

This is not the kind of illness that comes up in everyday talk. It is a serious bacterial disease that mainly affects horses, mules, and donkeys, and it can also infect humans through close contact with sick animals. In the past, it was a major problem for armies that depended on these animals for travel and war. Today it is rare in many places because of strict control measures, but it still matters.

The name comes from the swollen glands and sores often seen in infected animals, especially around the nose and airways. It is caused by the bacterium Burkholderia mallei. Although it has been wiped out in many parts of the world, outbreaks can still happen in some regions where animal health systems are weaker.

Glanders is a serious bacterial disease that primarily affects equines, especially horses, mules, and donkeys, but it can also infect humans. It is caused by the bacterium Burkholderia mallei and usually affects the respiratory system and skin, often causing fever, nasal discharge, cough, swollen lymph nodes, and ulcer-like sores. Historically, it was a devastating disease for armies that depended on horses for cavalry and transport, because it could spread through groups of working animals and kill many of them.

The disease can appear in three main forms: pulmonary (in the lungs), cutaneous (in the skin, often called "farcy"), and septicemic (in the bloodstream). In horses, signs may include fever, thick nasal discharge, coughing, breathing trouble, skin nodules, and sores that do not heal well. In humans, it may look like pneumonia, a skin infection, or a severe whole-body infection after contact with infected animals or contaminated materials.

Because it is severe and can pass from animals to humans, glanders is a reportable disease in many countries, which means suspected cases must be reported quickly to veterinary or public health authorities. Testing, quarantine, and the killing of infected animals have made it much less common worldwide. Even so, it still exists in some parts of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and South America. While rare today, it remains important for veterinarians, public health workers, and people who work closely with equines in affected areas.