Izixhobo Ezingaqondakaliyo—Zisisisongelo Kangakanani?
UKUBULAWA kwabantu ngeentsholongwane ezibangela izifo ngamaxesha eemfazwe akuqali ngoku. Ngenkulungwane ye-14 kwimpuma Yurophu, izidumbu zamaxhoba abulewe sisifo esingubhubhani zaziphoswa ngaphaya kweendonga zesixeko esasirhangqiwe. Ukanti kwisiganeko esenzeka kwiminyaka engama-400 kamva, amajoni aseBritani anika amaIndiya aseMerika iingubo ezinentsholongwane ebangela ingqakaqha kwinkomfa yothethathethwano loxolo ebudeni beMfazwe yamaFrentshi namaIndiya. Oku kwabangela isifo esingubhubhani nto leyo eyabangela amaIndiya anikezela. Noko ke, into yokuba iintsholongwane zibangela izifo yafunyaniswa ekupheleni kwenkulungwane ye-19. Oku kwenza abantu baqonda ukuba banako ukusebenzisa ezi ntsholongwane njengezixhobo zokulwa.
Kakade ke, inkqubela kwezonyango nakwinzululwazi ibangele ukuba kwenziwe iziyobisi namayeza okuthintela ukwasulelwa zizifo. Yaye aye aluncedo kakhulu ekunyangeni nasekuthinteleni izifo. Kodwa nangona kukho le nkqubela, izifo ezasulelayo zisesisisongelo, nyaka ngamnye zibulala abantu abangaphezu kwe-17 lamawaka ezigidi—abantu abangama-50 000 suku ngalunye. Umnqa ngulo: Ngoxa amadoda namabhinqa akrelekrele ezama iindlela zokunyanga izifo, amanye aye aphum’ iphulo efuna indlela yokusebenzisa ezo zifo ukuze abulale abantu.
Iinzame Zokuphelisa Izixhobo Ezenziwe Ngemichiza
Kangangeminyaka engaphezu kwama-25, elaseUnited States, indawo eyayisakuba yiSoviet Union namanye amazwe aliqela aye ashiyana ngotyefezo esenza imfumba yezixhobo ngemichiza. Kodwa ngowe-1972, la mazwe avumelana ngokupheliswa kwezi zixhobo. Noko ke, amanye amazwe aqhubeka ezenzela imfumba yezi zixhobo zibulalayo, esenza nophando ngeendlela zokuzisasaza.
Yintoni eyabangela ukuba ezi zixhobo zipheliswe ngokusemthethweni? Ebutsheni beminyaka yee-1970, abantu babeqiqa ngelithi nangona izixhobo ezenziwe ngemichiza zibulala abantu abaninzi, aziloncedo kangako xa kusiliwa kwithafa ledabi. Esinye isizathu sokuba baqiqe ngale ndlela kukuba azikhawulezi zisebenze—kuthabatha ixesha ngaphambi kokuba ibonakale imiphumo yokusebenza kwazo. Esinye isizathu kukuba ukusebenza kwazo kuxhomekeke emoyeni nakwimozulu. Ngapha koko, abantu baqonda ukuba xa elinye ilizwe lihlasela elinye ngezixhobo ezenziwe ngemichiza, elo lihlaselwayo linokusuka liphindise ngezalo izixhobo ezenziwe ngemichiza okanye ngezixhobo zenyukliya. Kanti, abantu abaninzi babekugqala kungafanelekanga ukusasaza iintsholongwane ngabom ngenjongo yokwenzakalisa okanye yokubulala abanye abantu.
Noko ke, ezi zizathu azibathezi mandla abantu abazele yintiyo nabangenabuntu. Abo batyekele ekubulaleni kwanto ephambi kwabo, bazithanda gqitha izixhobo ezenziwe ngemichiza. Ezi zixhobo zinokwenziwa zize zisasazwe ngokufihlakeleyo. Umntu ohlasela ngezi zixhobo unokungaziwa, yaye nokuba uyaziwa, kunokuba nzima ukuziphindezela kubanqolobi ekubeni besasazeke kumazwe amaninzi. Ngaphezu koko, ukusetyenziswa kwezixhobo ezinemiphumo engabonakali ngokukhawuleza nezibulalayo kunokubangela unxunguphalo olungathethekiyo eluntwini. Ukutshatyalaliswa kwezityalo okanye imfuyo kunokubangela ukunqongophala kokutya kuze kudodobalise ezoqoqosho.
Enye into ebangela zithandwe kangaka izixhobo ezenziwe ngemichiza kukuba azibizi mali ingako. Kwenziwa uhlolisiso ngokuphathelele imali enokuchithwa xa kuhlaselwa abemi abangakhuselekanga, kusetyenziswa izixhobo ezahlukahlukeneyo kummandla onokuba sisikwekhilomitha. Kwaqikelelwa ukuba ukusebenzisa izixhobo eziqhelekileyo kunokuxabisa ii-R20 000, ukusebenzisa izixhobo zenyukliya kunokuxabisa ii-R8 000, ukusebenzisa iigesi ezibulala imithambo-luvo kunokuxabisa ii-R6 000 ukanti ukusebenzisa izixhobo ezenziwe ngemichiza kunokuxabisa ii-R10.
Imiqobo Ephazamisa Abanqolobi
Iingxelo zamajelo eendaba zibonisa ukuba amanye amaqela abanqolobi akhe azama ukusebenzisa izixhobo ezenziwe ngemichiza. Noko ke, ukuzama ukusebenzisa izixhobo ezenziwe ngemichiza akufani nokuhlasela ngazo ngokoqobo.
Ukuze umnqolobi okanye umbutho wabanqolobi uhlasele ngokuphumelelayo, umele ukwazi ukuhlangabezana nemiqobo ethile elucelomngeni. Okokuqala, umnqolobi ufanele afumane imichiza eyaneleyo anokwenza ngayo isifo esinokubangela ubhubhani. Okwesibini, ufanele ayazi indlela efanelekileyo yokusebenzisa nokugcina le michiza. Okwesithathu, ufanele akwazi ukwenza isixa esaneleyo. Intwana nje yale michiza inokutshabalalisa intsimi elinyiweyo, ibulale umhlambi wezilwanyana okanye abantu abakwisixeko esinye, ukuba nje ibekwe kwindawo efanelekileyo. Noko ke, izixhobo ezenziwe ngemichiza ziphelelwa ngamandla xa zingaphandle kwendawo yokuxuba imichiza. Eneneni, yintwana nje yale michiza enokufikelela kummandla oza kuhlaselwa, ngoko kufuneka isixa esikhulu ukuze kubulawe abantu abakummandla omkhulu.
Ikho neminye imiqobo. Umnqolobi ufanele akwazi ukulondoloza le michiza ukuze ingaphelelwa ngamandla xa isisiwa kwindawo eza kuhlaselwa. Kanti ufanele akwazi ukuyisasaza kakuhle. Oku kuthetha ukuba ufanele aqinisekise ukuba uhlasela ngesixa esaneleyo semichiza, kummandla omkhulu ngokwaneleyo, nokuba le michiza mininzi ngokwaneleyo ukuze kwasuleleke abantu abaninzi. Kwadlula iminyaka engaphezu kweshumi ngaphambi kokuba abaphandi abathile baseUnited States abaqeqeshwe kakuhle bakwazi ukuvelisa inkqubo ephumelelayo yokuhambisa izixhobo ezenziwe ngemichiza. Emva kokuba isixhobo esenziwe ngemichiza sisasazwe emoyeni, sichanabeka elangeni nakumaqondo obushushu ahlukahlukeneyo, nto leyo enokubangela ukuba le michiza iphelelwe ngamandla. Ngoko ke, ngaphambi kokuba umntu enze isixhobo ngemichiza, ufanele azi ukuba kuza kwenzeka ntoni kuloo michiza xa isemoyeni.
Ekubeni kukho imiqobo emininzi kangaka xa kusetyenziswa ezi zixhobo, akumangalisi ukuba abanqolobi bengafane bahlasele ngazo. Ngapha koko, bambalwa kakhulu abantu abaye benzakale xa kuhlaselwa ngazo. Kwisiganeko sakutshanje sokuthunyelwa kweeleta ezine-anthrax eUnited States, kuye kwafa abantu abahlanu. Kwakubuhlungu oku, kodwa bambalwa abantu abenzakalayo xa kuthelekiswa nabo babenokwenzakala ukuba kwakusetyenziswe isiqhushumbisi esincinane okanye umpu. Abaphandi bathelekelela ukuba ukususela ngowe-1975, kwizihlandlo ezingama-96 ekhulwini, abakho ngaphezu kwesithathu abantu abaye benzakala okanye bafa xa kuhlaselwa ngezixhobo ezenziwe ngemichiza.
Ibona ezi ngxaki zibandakanyekileyo ekuhlaseleni ngezixhobo ezenziwe ngemichiza, iBritish American Security Information Council yathi: “Nangona oorhulumente bejamelene nezisongelo ezininzi zokuhlaselwa ngabanqolobi ngezixhobo ezenziwe ngemichiza, inkoliso yabahlalutyi iyazi ukuba kunokubakho iintlekele ezinokusuba imiphefumlo emininzi, kodwa ikholelwa ukuba oko akunakufane kwenzeke.” Kanti nangona embalwa amathuba okwenzeka kwezo ziganeko, imiphumo yazo inokuba yintlekele.
Iindaba Ezibuhlungu
Ukuza kuthi ga ngoku, siye sathetha ngeengxaki ezibandakanyekileyo ekusetyenzisweni kwezi zixhobo: Ezi ngxaki kunye nezinto eziye zenzeka kwixa elidluleyo zibonisa ukuba abantu abanakufane bahlaselwe ngezixhobo ezenziwe ngemichiza. Kodwa iindaba ezibuhlungu zezokuba: Izinto ezenzeke kwixa elidluleyo azisosiqinisekiso soko kuya kwenzeka kwixa elizayo. Nangona amalinge okuhlaselwa kwabantu engakhange aphumelele kwixa elidluleyo, asenokuphumelela kwixa elizayo.
Zikho izizathu zokuxhalaba. Kubonakala ngathi abanqolobi abaninzi bazimisele ukubulala inyambalala yabantu. Akwanelanga nje ukubakho amaqela amaninzi abanqolobi ahambele phambili kwezobugcisa, kodwa amanye anemali yaye asebenzisa izixhobo ezikumgangatho ofanayo nowezo zisetyenziswa ngabanye oorhulumente.
Iingcali zibonakala zingayicingi into yokuba amazwe athile anokunika abanqolobi izixhobo ezenziwe ngemichiza. Omnye umhlalutyi wathi: “Enoba bakhohlakele kangakani na, banamabhongo kangakanani na okanye baneengcamango ezitenxe kangakanani na, oorhulumente banokuba mathidala ukunika amaqela abanqolobi izixhobo ezingaqhelekanga abangenakukwazi ukuzilawula ngokupheleleyo; kwanabo oorhulumente banokuzisebenzisa njengesisongelo kunokuba bazisebenzise ngokoqobo ezo zixhobo.” Eyona nto ixhalabisa iingcali kukuba amaqela abanqolobi anokuthembisa izazinzulu eziqeqeshwe kakuhle intywenka yemali ukuze ziwenzele ezi zixhobo.
Izixhobo Ezenzelwe Ukudlulisela Izifo
Enye into exhalabisayo kukuhambela phambili kobugcisa bezebhayoloji. Izazinzulu sele zikwazi ukwenza iintsholongwane zibe yingozi ngakumbi kube lula nokuzisebenzisa. Zinobuchule bokwenza ityhefu ngeentsholongwane ezingeyongozi. Ziyakwazi nokwenza ukuba iintsholongwane zingabonakali xa zihlolwa ngezixhobo zokuhlola iintsholongwane. Ngapha koko, ezi ntsholongwane zenziwa zikwazi ukumelana nemichiza ebulala iintsholongwane, amayeza athintela ukwasulelwa ziintsholongwane namayeza okuzinyanga. Ngokomzekelo, izazinzulu ezivela kwiSoviet Union zathi zenze intsholongwane ekwazi ukumelana namayeza okubulala iintsholongwane ali-16.
Ngenxa yokuhambela phambili kobugcisa bezebhayoloji nobuchule kwezenzululwazi, kulindeleke ukuba kubekho inkqubela engakumbi kule nkalo. Izazinzulu zinokuzitshintsha ezi ntsholongwane zize zenze intlaninge yezixhobo—eziyingozi ngakumbi, ezingaphelelwa ngokukhawuleza nekulula ukuzenza nokuzisa kwindawo eza kuhlaselwa. Zinokwenziwa ngohlobo lokuba imiphumo yokwasulelwa zizo ibonakale ngokukhawuleza ize inyangwe lula. Ezi ntsholongwane zinokwenziwa ngohlobo lokuba ziphelelwe ngamandla emva kwethuba elithile—zinyamalale emva kokubulala inani elithile labantu.
Kwixa elizayo kusenokwenziwa izixhobo ezingaqondakaliyo ngakumbi. Ngokomzekelo, izixhobo ezingaqondakaliyo zinokutshabalalisa inkqubo yomzimba yokuzikhusela—nto leyo enokubangela ukuba umntu angahlaselwa sisifo nje esinye, kodwa ahlaselwe zizifo ezininzi. Xa kuvela iimpawu ezifana nezo zikaGawulayo, ngubani oya kwazi enoba eso sisifo nje esiqhelekileyo okanye sibangelwe ngumxube wemichiza owenziwe lutshaba?
Inkqubela kwezobugcisa yenze ukuba amagosa ezomkhosi atshintshe indlela acinga ngayo. Elinye igosa lomkhosi waseUnited States labhala lenjenje: “Amalinge enziwa ngabenzi bezixhobo zemichiza asesisiqalo nje. Ukwazi ukuba baseza kuyiphucula indlela abasebenza ngayo kwenza ukuba umntu azikise ukucinga.”
[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 26]
Yintoni Imfazwe Eliwa Ngezixhobo Ezenziwe Ngemichiza?
Ibinzana elithi “imfazwe eliwa ngezixhobo ezenziwe ngemichiza” libhekisela ekusasazweni ngabom kwezifo ebantwini, kwizilwanyana okanye kwizityalo. Abantu basulelwa zizifo xa behlaselwa ngeentsholongwane. Ezi ntsholongwane ziyanda (ezinye zikhupha ityhefu), yaye ekuhambeni kwexesha ziyabonakala iimpawu zokwasulelwa sisifo. Ezinye izixhobo ezenziwe ngemichiza zishiya abantu beyimilwelwe, ukanti ezinye ziyababulala. Ezinye zisenokusetyenziswa ekutshabalaliseni izityalo.
[Ibhokisi/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 28, 29]
Inkcazelo Ebalulekileyo Ngezixhobo Ezenziwe Ngemichiza
I-Anthrax: Sisifo esasulelayo esibangelwa ziintsholongwane. Ekuqaleni umntu osezele i-anthrax uba ngathi unomkhuhlane. Emva kweentsuku ezithile, uba nengxaki yokuphefumla yaye emva koko igazi lakhe lingenwa yityhefu. Olu hlobo lwe-anthrax luyabulala.
Abantu abasesichengeni sokwasulelwa yi-anthrax banokuzikhusela ngamayeza okulwa neentsholongwane. Kubalulekile ukuba umntu afumane unyango ngokukhawuleza; kungenjalo eso sifo sinokudlula naye.
Akufane kwenzeke ukuba umntu otyhefwe yi-anthrax asulele abanye.
Kwisiqingatha sesibini senkulungwane yama-20, amazwe aliqela kuquka iUnited States nommandla owawufudula uyiSoviet Union asebenzisa i-anthrax njengesixhobo. Amazwe ekucingelwa ukuba asebenzisa izixhobo ezenziwe ngemichiza aye anda ukususela kwali-10 ngowe-1989 ukusa kwali-17 ngowe-1995. Alaziwa ncam inani lamazwe asebenzisa i-anthrax. Ngokutsho kolunye uhlolisiso olwenziwa ngurhulumente waseUnited States, ukusasazwa kwe-anthrax eziikhilogram ezili-100 kwisixeko esikhulu kunokubulala abantu abalingana nabo banokubulawa yibhombu yehydrogen.
IBotulism: Sisifo esiqoba amalungu omzimba esibangelwa yintsholongwane eyityhefu. Umntu otye ukutya okune-botulinum uye angaboni kakuhle, angakwazi ukuvula amehlo, angakwazi ukuthetha, ukuginya yaye womelwa ngumlomo. Onke amalungu omzimba ayatyhafa ukususela emagxeni. Ukungakwazi ukuphefumla kunokumbulala umntu. Umntu one-botulism akanakubasulela abanye.
Xa kusetyenziswe isibulali-tyhefu ngokukhawuleza esi sifo sisenokungahambeli ndawo yaye umntu unokusinda nasekufeni.
Abantu abasebenzisa izixhobo ezenziwe ngemichiza bayithanda kakhulu i-botulinum ngenxa yokuba inetyhefu enamandla yaye kulula ukuyenza nokuyisa kwenye indawo. Ngapha koko, abo batyhefwe yiyo kufuneka banyanyekelwe ixesha elide. Aliqela amazwe ekurhanelwa ukuba asebenzisa i-botulinum njengesixhobo.
Isifo Esingubhubhani: Sisifo esasulelayo esibangelwa ziintsholongwane. Xa esi sifo sihlasele imiphunga umntu uba nomkhuhlane, intloko ebuhlungu aphelelwe ngamandla aze akhohlele. Emva koko esi sifo sityhefa igazi, yaye xa singanyangwa ngokukhawuleza ngamayeza okulwa neentsholongwane umntu uba sengozini yokufa.
Esi sifo sinokudluliselwa ngamathe.
Ebudeni benkulungwane ye-14, kwiminyaka nje emihlanu, esi sifo sabulala abantu abamalunga nezigidi ezili-13 eChina nabazizigidi ezingama-20 ukusa kuma-30 eYurophu.
Ngeminyaka yee-1950 neyee-1960, eUnited States nommandla owawufudula uyiSoviet Union kwaveliswa ubuchule bokusasaza intsholongwane ebangela isifo esingubhubhani. Kuthiwa zingamawaka izazinzulu eziye zenza izixhobo ngeentsholongwane ezibangela esi sifo.
Ingqakaqha: Sisifo esasulelayo esibangelwa yintsholongwane. Umntu onesi sifo uqala ngokuba nomkhuhlane, adinwe, aqaqanjelwe yintloko nomqolo. Emva koko kuphuma izilonda ezibuhlungu ezinobovu. Kubantu abathathu abahlaselwe sesi sifo, kufa abe mnye.
Ingqakaqha yapheliswa ehlabathini lonke ngowe-1977. Ukugonywa kwabantu rhoqo ukuze bangabinayo kwayekwa phakathi kwiminyaka yee-1970. Akukho siqinisekiso sokuba abantu ababegonywe ngaphambi kwelo xesha abanakwasulelwa sesi sifo. Akukabikho nyango luqinisekileyo lokunyanga ingqakaqha.
Esi sifo sidluliselwa ngamathe. Le ntsholongwane inokusasazeka ngempahla okanye iingubo.
Ukususela ngowe-1980, iSoviet Union yaseka inkqubo yokuvelisa izixa ezikhulu zentsholongwane ebangela ingqakaqha yaza yalungiselela nendlela yokuyisasaza phakathi kwamazwekazi ngemijukujelwa. Kwenziwa namalinge okuvelisa uhlobo oluthile lwentsholongwane eyingozi neyasulela ngokukhawuleza.
[Umfanekiso]
Intsholongwane ye-“anthrax” ne-“spherical spore”
[Inkcazelo]
Imithombo: IU.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention neJohns Hopkins Center for Civilian Biodefense Studies.
Anthrax victim: CDC, Atlanta, Ga.; anthrax bacterium: ©Dr. Gary Gaugler, Photo Researchers; botulism bacterium: CDC/Courtesy of Larry Stauffer, Oregon State Public Health Laboratory
Plague bacterium: Copyright Dennis Kunkel Microscopy, Inc.; smallpox virus: ©Meckes, Gelderblom, Eye of Science, Photo Researchers; smallpox victim: CDC/NIP/Barbara Rice
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 27]
Ukuthunyelwa kweeleta ezine-“anthrax” kutshanje kubangele uloyiko ebantwini ngokubanzi
[Inkcazelo]
AP Photo/Axel Seidemann
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 27]
Iibhombu ezenziwe ngemichiza ezatshatyalaliswayo emva kweMfazwe eyayikwiGulf
[Inkcazelo]
AP Photo/MOD