The pathogenic bacterium, Bacillus anthracis, is the causative agent of the debilitating disease Anthrax (6). This essay will discuss the threat that the disease poses on society, the prevention of anthrax on a large scale, and the current treatment options of those infected. B. anthracis is a gram-positive sporative bacterium that have been found on every continent including Antarctica and can survive in its spore state for decades (6). It is mostly found naturally in domestic lower vertebrates like cattle, sheep, goats, and camels, but it can also occur in humans who are exposed to infected animal tissue, contaminated food, or infected soil (1)(11).
There are three routes of infection: cutaneous, inhaled, and ingested (11). Cutaneous infections are classified as over 95% of human infections worldwide (7). Humans can contract it by handling products from infected animals or eating undercooked meat (11). Inhaled spores are usually found on wool, hides, leather, or hair products (11). According to the CDC, it is rare to find infected animals in the United States (1). Certain areas of the world like South and Central America, Southern and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and the Middle East have the most anthrax cases worldwide (11). The zoonotic Anthrax bacterium is technically considered soil-borne although it’s usually only found in large concentrations in the soil near corpses of animals that die of the disease (2).
Another way for humans to contract the disease is through weaponized bioterrorism (10). The WMD commission of the US Congress said that it’s “more likely than not” that a terrorist attack will occur during the year 2013 and that it is most likely that the threat will be biological rather than nucl...
... middle of paper ...
.... Furthermore, side effects from this disruption are relatively minimal because when the ANTXR1 was disrupted, normal physiological processes (collagen binding and angiogenesis) were compensated through another molecular pathway (12) (14).
The historical journey of anthrax has affected the lives of countless individuals since its discovery many years ago. Researchers have helped develop plans for defense and treatment of the natural anthrax disease for animals and humans and are continuing to try and temper the effects of the potentially devastating use of anthrax as a bioweapon against the USA (5) (9). Bacillus anthracis causes a demoralizing disease in all its forms but with continued research efforts of scientist across the world a solution will be found to quench the fire of the anthrax disease and the frightening threat this pathogens bioterrorism capability.
The 2001 anthrax attacks was one of the worst bio-weapon attacks on the US in history. The attacks where done through the mail. The anthrax was placed in envelopes with a letter and mailed from various locations to different people and organizations. The anthrax filled letters ended up killing 5 people, causing 17 to become sick and exposing anthrax it is believed to as many as 30,000 people. During the mail process spores of anthrax from the letters escaped and got on mailroom equipment exposing postal employees. If a person was exposed to enough anthrax and developed symptoms they typically died in a few days. Postal workers during the attacks where told that anthrax will appear as a white powder t...
Linkous, J. (2004). More details on new anthrax search. Retrieved Oct. 06, 2005, from CBS News Web site: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/10/05/national/main647441.shtml.
With the continuous advancements in biomedicine follows a continuous proliferation of bioterrorism, which uses biological agents for malicious purposes (Anderson 2). More specifically, bioterrorism is a method of terrorism that intentionally releases or disseminates biological weapons that may be in natural occurring or human-modified form (Botulism- Definition). Although bioterrorism is considered as a recent dilemma, the use of biological weapon predates recorded history, during the ancient times where biological toxins were extracted from plants and animals and ap...
Ryan, Jeffrey R., and Jan F. Glarum. Biosecurity & Bioterrorism: Containing and Preventing Biological Threats. Oxford: Elsevier Inc., 2008.
Roffey, R., et al. "Biological weapons and bioterrorism preparedness: importance of public‐health awareness and international cooperation." Clinical microbiology and infection 8.8 (2002): 522-528.
Anthrax is a very contagious, soil-borne disease. It is caused by Bacillus anthracis. Anthrax is a disease that is very common in herbivores which is why cattle and bison are so susceptible to it. Anthrax infections are very rare in humans. Anthrax is susceptible to most antibiotics, so treatment of animals at early signs of the disease should be effective. Treatment with antibiotics, such as Anthrax Spore Vaccine will counteract the vaccine, so should not be administered to animals who have been recently
Biological weapons are frightening, in part, because of limited public understanding of this type of warfare. The popular and uninformed opinion on biological warfare is that huge communities of people will be wiped out in one fell swoop by fatal infections. In this paper I will answer basic questions about biological warfare to provide a better understanding of what biological warfare means and how we can defend against it. Although biological warfare is frightening, it will not necessarily lead to the destruction of life on Earth. These infections are often fatal if untreated, but people can survive the illness if they seek appropriate medical treatment.
During the past century, more than 500 million people have died due to infectious diseases. Several tens of thousands of these deaths were due to the deliberate release of pathogens or toxins. Two international treaties outlawed biological weapons in 1925 and 1972. Unfortunately, these treaties have failed to stop countries from conducting offensive weapons research and large-scale production of biological weapons. As our knowledge increases on these disease-causing agents, so does our fear of future threats of biological warfare (Frischknecht, 2003).
Anthrax has been around for thousands of years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), anthrax is believed to have originated in Egypt and Mesopotamia in the late 1300s B.C.E. during the time of the 10 plagues. Many believe it was the fifth plague. Ancient Greece and Rome also discovered anthrax, as the famous author Homer referenced it in The Iliad around 700 B.C. (https://www.cdc.gov/anthrax/resources/history/index.html). For many years, anthrax was studied in detail. Robert Koch was the first person to note the life cycle of the disease, and in 1881, the first vaccine for animals was created (https://www.cdc.gov/anthrax/resources/history/index.html). Anthrax is mostly found in animals such as ovine, bovine, equine, etc. It is a zoonotic disease meaning, it can be transferred from animal to human. People began to contract anthrax from meat consumption, specifically meat from cattle. As the animal vaccine became more popular, it was noted that the vaccine helped to lower the number of reported human anthrax
On September 18th and the weeks following, a multitude of letters containing the Bacillus Anthracis bacterium were mailed to various New York news stations. Individuals at 5 different stations became ill with similar symptoms that included vomiting and shortness of breath. This began the nationwide panic known as the Amerithrax Investigation. The Amerithrax investigation was said to be the worst biological attacks in all of US History. Three weeks later, on October 9th, two more letters, containing the anthrax bacterium was mailed to two Democratic senators. In all of the 7 attacks, over 22 people developed infections, over half being life-threatening. The letters themselves confused federal investigators. In the sets of letters addressed to the media, certain T’s and A’s were bolded. When added together, the groups of letters formed 3 codons that corresponded to 3 amino acids. These amino acids pointed federal investigators towards a possible culprit, Bruce Edwards Ivins, a scientist for the US government in Frederick, Maryland.
Last July, a unquestioned illness came from Yamal Peninsula on a cold region of the northwestern Siberia, a part of Russia. Few weeks later, the sickness wiped out more than 2,000 reindeer in just a month. Hundreds or thousands of people are infected and being hospitalized After a couple of days of treating a 12 year old boy who had a fever and was vomiting had died.The illness is called Anthrax a deadly virus that can cause sores on skin, stomach problems, and pneumonia, an inflammation of lungs.
Anthrax is a zoonotic bacterial infection that can be transmitted either through contact with affected animals or as a biological weapon (Jones 4). Its use in biological warfare has, however, been controlled and such cases are very few. The few cases have stirred the attention of most people, which has consequently increased public awareness in the disease. It normally affects ruminant animals such as cattle, horses, goats and sheep and then transmitted to humans. Humans cannot transmit the infectious bacteria to other humans.
These enzymes are responsible for the transmission of cell signaling within the cell itself. The enzyme controls growth and embryonic development and by eliminating or disturbing the transmission, it causes a cell to malfunction and denature, creating larger more dangerous concern.
Anthrax is a very real and dangerous threat to all people who come in contact with it. The bacterial infection is caused by the bacteriaium Bacillus anthracis. Anthrax is divided into three categories all are contracted in different ways. The first type is called Cutaneous Anthrax; this is where anthrax spores make contact with the skin. If there is a cut or a lesion then a person can be infected. Cutaneous Anthrax is the most common way to get anthrax, but is also the least lethal. The second type of anthrax is called Pulmonary Anthrax this is where a person inhales the spores of anthrax directly into the lungs. If this type of anthrax is left untreated it could lead to death. The third type of anthrax is called Gastrointestinal Anthrax, this form results from eating meat from animals that have been infected with the anthrax bacteria. This causes the intestinal tract to become infected and this from is almost always fatal. This particular mode of anthrax has never been seen in the United States.