Rhodesia anthrax epidemic of 1978-1980: A natural outbreak or the result of biowarfare?
Release Date: 07/15/2025
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info_outlineRhodesia, now Zimbabwe since 1980, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa.
From 1978-1980, Rhodesia experienced one of the largest anthrax epidemics in recorded history. This led to the deaths of hundreds and caused significant economic devastation.
The epidemic happened during the Rhodesian Bush War.
To this day, the origins of this devastating outbreak remain highly controversial- was it the result of an endemic outbreak or a case of biological warfare?
Today I’m going to look at the history of the epidemic and the possible causes with Matthew Turner, MD. Dr Turner is with the Department of Emergency Medicine at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey Pennsylvania. He is also the author of an article on the topic published in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science.
The Rhodesian Anthrax Epidemic: A Case of Biological Warfare?