Anthrax: An Infectious Disease

Anthrax is an infectious disease. It can kill people. Getting anthrax is considered bioterrorism.

Cause of Disease

Anthrax I an infectious disease that is caused by bacterium bacillus anthracis. bacillus anthracis is a Gram-positive. A “Gram-positive bacteria are bacteria that give a positive result in the Gram stain test, which is traditionally used to quickly classify bacteria into two broad categories according to their cell wall” as cited from https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gram-positive_bacteria. Bacillus anthracis is also an Endospore-forming, rod shaped bacterium, with a width of 1.0 to .2 µm and a length of 3–5 µm, it can be grown in an ordinary nutrient medium, under anaerobic or aerobic conditions. Anthrax

It’s most often found in some farming areas in Central and South America, the Caribbean, southern Europe, Eastern Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, and central and southwestern Asia.

History: How has our understanding of the disease developed over

The infection occurs when the bacteria enters a cut or scratch in the skin. Inhalation (lung) - Some anthrax infections occur when people breathe in the spores of the bacteria.

Pathology: Describe the pathogenic effects on cells, tissues, and organ systems.

Anthrax is a lethal disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. There are three principal forms of the disease in humans-cutaneous, gastrointestinal, and inhalational-depending on the route of exposure. Of these, inhalational anthrax is the most dangerous; it is rapidly fatal; and it has been used as a deadly biological warfare agent in the last decade. Suitable animal models of inhalational anthrax have been utilized to study pathogenesis of disease, investigate bacterial characteristics such as virulence, and test effectiveness of vaccines and therapeutics. To date, mice, guinea pigs, rabbits, and nonhuman primates are the principal animal species used to study inhalational anthrax. Mice are valuable in studying early pathogenesis and bacterial characteristics. Few pathologic changes occur in the mouse models but may include marked bacteremia and lymphocyte destruction in the spleen and mediastinal lymph nodes. Rabbits and guinea pigs rapidly develop fulminate systemic disease, and pathologic findings often include necrotizing lymphadenitis; splenitis; pneumonia; vasculitis; and hemorrhage,