This highly contagious disease has been used as a biological weapon
Name
Anthrax
Transmission
- A severe infectious disease caused by Bacillus anthracis bacteria
- The bacteria mainly affect wild and domestic plant-eating animals though other types of animals can also contract it
- Animals become infected when they ingest bacterial spores in contaminated soil, plants, or water (the bacteria can live in the environment for decades)
- People get sick when the infectious bacterial spores enter the body (often through contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products) but there are three main types of transmission:
- Cutaneous: Skin injuries (cuts, scrapes) that allow the bacterial spores to penetrate
- Pulmonary: Breathing in bacterial spores
- Gastrointestinal: Eating/drinking contaminated food and water
- Person-to-person transmission is rare, but possible with infection via skin injuries
- When the spores enter the body they multiply, spread, produce poisons, and cause severe illness
Geography
Worldwide, especially central and South America, sub-Saharan Africa, central and southwestern Asia, southern and eastern Europe, and the Caribbean
Incubation Period
The incubation period varies from 1 day to 60 days depending on the circumstances, for example:
- When contracted via skin injuries: 1 day
- When contracted via breathing in bacterial spores: 1-7 days
Signs and Symptoms
Symptoms depend on the type of infection and can appear 1 day to more than 2 months after active infection
- Cutaneous anthrax
- A swollen sore (often on the face, neck, arms, or hands)
- A skin ulcer (often with a black center)
- Itchy blisters or bumps
- Pulmonary anthrax
- Fever
- Chills
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Headache
- Shortness of breath
- Sweats
- Extreme fatigue
- Body aches
- Stomach pains
- Chest Discomfort
- Confusion or dizziness
- Cough
- Gastrointestinal anthrax
- Fainting
- Fever
- Hoarseness
- Swelling of neck or neck glands
- Diarrhea (with blood)
- Sore throat
- Chills
- Painful swallowing
- Bloody vomiting
- Headache
- Stomach Pain
- Swollen abdomen
- Red face
- Red eyes
- Nausea
Diagnosis
- Chest X-rays
- CT scans
- Laboratory testing of blood, spinal fluid, skin secretions, and respiratory secretions
Treatment
- Antibiotics and antitoxins
- For severe cases requiring hospitalization, draining fluids and using a ventilator machine to support breathing may be part of the treatment
Prognosis
- Cutaneous anthrax: 20% of people die
- Pulmonary anthrax: very severe, 85-90% of people die
- Gastrointestinal anthrax: 25- 50% of people die
Prevention: What Can You Do?
- There is a vaccine but it has not been properly tested in humans so is often not used
- If you know you have been exposed to the bacterial spores, antibiotics can prevent a full infection from developing
Anthrax In the News
- Russia outbreak affects dozens in north Siberia
- “Zombie” Anthrax Goes on a Killing Spree in Siberia–How?
Sources:
http://www.cdc.gov/anthrax/
http://www.who.int/topics/anthrax/en/
