Anthrax
hideAnthrax is an acute disease caused by Bacillus anthracis. It affects both humans and animals and most forms of the disease are highly lethal. There are effective vaccines against anthrax, and some forms of the disease respond well to antibiotic treatment.
Like many other members of the genus Bacillus, Bacillus anthracis can form dormant spores that are able to survive in harsh conditions for extremely long periods of time—even decades or centuries. Such spores can be found on all continents, even Antarctica. When spores are inhaled, ingested, or come into contact with a skin lesion on a host they may reactivate and multiply rapidly.
Anthrax commonly infects wild and domesticated herbivorous mammals which ingest or inhale the spores while browsing—in fact, ingestion is thought to be the most common route by which herbivores contract anthrax. Carnivores living in the same environment may become infected by consuming infected animals. Diseased animals can spread anthrax to humans, either by direct contact (e.g. inoculation of infected blood to broken skin) or consumption of diseased animals' flesh.
Anthrax spores can be produced in vitro and used as a biological weapon. Anthrax does not spread directly from one infected animal or person to another, but spores can be transported by clothing or shoes and the body of an animal that died of anthrax can also be a source of anthrax spores.
For more information about Anthrax, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
News tagged with anthrax
Better immune defense against anthrax
Sep 08, 2009 |
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Scientists discover a gene in anthrax-causing bacteria may help defend against this form of bio-warfare.
Scientists move closer to a safer anthrax vaccine
Sep 04, 2009 |
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Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have identified two small protein fragments that could be developed into an anthrax vaccine that may cause fewer side effects than ...
Anthrax bacteria conspire with viruses to stay alive
Aug 12, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- The brute force of Bacillus anthracis, the ancient scourge that causes anthrax, can sweep through and overpower a two-ton animal in under 72 hours. But when it isn't busy claiming livestock and hu ...
Early detection and quick response are key to defense against anthrax attack
Jul 24, 2009 |
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A large attack on a major metropolitan area with airborne anthrax could affect more than a million people, necessitating their treatment with powerful antibiotics. A new study finds that in order for a response to be effective, ...
Researchers image crucial anthrax protein
Jul 14, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Anthrax, long feared for its potential as a biological weapon, has lost some of its mystery. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory, in collaboration ...
Drug gives anthrax protection in animal studies
Medicine & Health / Medications
Jul 08, 2009 |
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(AP) -- An experimental drug helped monkeys and rabbits survive anthrax in a series of studies, suggesting it could be useful in case of another anthrax attack.
Science agency to review FBI's anthrax inquiry
May 09, 2009 |
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(AP) -- The National Academy of Sciences said Friday it will review the lab work behind the FBI's conclusion that Army scientist Bruce Ivins was responsible for the anthrax mailings that killed five people in 2001.
Novel method predicts impact of a covert anthrax release
Apr 10, 2009 |
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A new statistical method that can estimate the origin and time of an aerosolized release of the pathogen causing anthrax, following detection of the first few cases has been developed by researchers from the Medical Research ...
Houseplant pest gives clue to potential new anthrax treatment
Biology /
Feb 24, 2009 |
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Researchers at the University of Warwick have found how a citric acid-based Achilles heel used by a pathogen that attacks the popular African Violet house plant could be exploited not just to save African ...
Revisiting the anthrax attacks
Biology /
Jan 22, 2009 |
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When anthrax was sent through the U.S. Postal Service in 2001, an overwhelming majority of postal workers elected not to be inoculated with the available vaccine because of confusion and distrust, according to a University ...
Changing dosing, administration of anthrax vaccine reduces side effects
Sep 30, 2008 |
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Reducing the number of doses of an anthrax vaccine and changing its administration to intramuscular injection resulted in comparable measures of effectiveness but with fewer adverse events, according to a study in the October ...
New 'scrubber' speeds removal of powerful anthrax clean-up agent
Jul 14, 2008 |
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Researchers in New Jersey report discovery of a fast, efficient method for removing a powerful pesticide used to sterilize buildings and equipment following anthrax attacks.
