Death from anthrax in Britain

Nov 3 2008

A musician and drum maker has died in Britain from anthrax after handling animal skins thought to have been imported from Africa.

Thirty five year old Fernando Gomez from Hackney in east London, had been in the intensive care unit of Homerton University Hospital for more than a week before he died and hospital officials say the drum maker had inhaled anthrax spores while handling the animal skins at his workshop.

The apartment in Hackney where he lived has been quarantined and his workshop is undergoing an examination while the Health Protection Agency (HPA) tries to establish the definite source of the infected skins and decide if it is necessary to decontaminate the workshop and Mr Gomez's flat - as a precaution seven people have been given antibiotics.

Professor Nigel Lightfoot, chief advisor for the HPA says residents who lived near the flat or workshop were not at risk and he says the risk is in the making of animal skin drums not playing or handling them.

Professor Lightfoot says while the threat to the public is very small, all those engaged in making drums from imported animal skins should be aware that there is a risk of coming into contact with anthrax and they should take precautions to protect themselves when making these drums.

The last death of this kind in Britain was in 2006 when Christopher Norris, 50, a craftsman from Stobs, near Hawick in Scotland, who created artworks and musical instruments, including drums, also died after inhaling anthrax from playing or handling anthrax-contaminated African drums.

Mr Gomez, originally from Madrid was a father of four and had been in Britain for several years and had a reputation as a talented percussionist, playing in a group called Alasvals a Spanish 'folktronic' band and he also ran a business making bongo drums.

Such hides are normally treated with disinfectant chemicals and Professor Lightfoot says it is the process of removing the animal hairs during the making of drums that can put people at risk rather than playing or handling the drums.