Causes:

Bacillus anthracis is the bacterium and the main cause of the disease which was discovered by a number of scientists. However, it was the study of Dr. Robert Koch, a German physician who proved that the Bacillus anthracis is the main agent which caused certain infections in the farm animals like cows, pigs, sheeps, etc.

The study explained that these bacterium stay in the dormant state known as spores and later enter the body of the animals through various sources. These spores are extremely strong and also difficult to destroy and can also survive for about 48 years in the soil itself.

Anthrax can easily affect animals, but later it was known that it can also affect humans in three distinct ways. These contraction ways are included of:

• Skin: The simplest form of contraction is the skin. The spores can enter our body through the skin by causing an ugly looking sore which tends to recover without any type of medication.
• Ingestion: Animal and humans can easily get affected by the disease due to the ingestion of any dead animal that was previously affected by the disease.
• Inhalation: And finally, inhalation. This is the most deadly way of getting infected with the bacterium. In any case, if the spores of the bacterium are inhaled, then they migrate directly to the lymph glands in the chest. Here, they proliferate at a high rate and then spread all across to produce toxins which later cause death.

Today, the disease has become extremely common in the countries that have very low public-health regulations. However, since its outbreak in 2001, the number of cases of infections has reduced to a great extent.

Diseases caused by the infection:

Anthrax, based on its mode of contraction has been divided into three parts namely:

Cutaneous anthrax: This type refers to the infection in the skin. The disease mainly starts in the form of red-brown spot on the skin which later enlarges with an exceptionally red, hardened blister. The symptoms of the infection at this stage includes of muscle pains, fever, vomiting, nausea, etc. These symptoms can continue for about 6 weeks, but if the patient does not receive proper medication, then the infection can cause the death of the patient as well.

Inhalation anthrax: In this type of infection, the symptoms in the initial stage are similar to that of flu. But, these simple symptoms slowly worsen with the time and lead to severe conditions and respiratory distress. Many a times, coma and shock can also be caused. Usually, once inhaled, the spores get caught by the macrophages in the body which thus kills them thoroughly. But, of all these spores, certain manage to pass away into the lymph nodes while the other get killed by the macrophages.

Thus, the spores that survive are later transported to the lymph glands where they multiply and thus spread the disease in the entire body.

Gastrointestinal anthrax: This infection is caused due to the ingestion of certain uncooked meat from an animal that was infected by the disease. The symptoms of the disease are similar as others. Here as well, the patient experiences nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, etc. Once the bacterium proliferates, it spreads across the body through the blood and thus also spreads the toxins which thus prove to be fatal.

Diagnosis:

Smears of the cutaneous anthrax chest X rays, etc. are the ways through which the infection can be easily diagnosed. However, in 2001, the anthrax bacterium was spread through mails in the form of a powder which later proved to be fatal for many.

Treatment:

Common antibiotics such as penicillin, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, etc. can be used to treat the cutaneous anthrax.

At the same time, the pulmonary infection can be treated with antibiotics and requires immediate medical treatment, else can prove to be fatal. In the early stages, you would require continuous intravenous antibiotic dosages for saving the life of the patient. However, a vaccine for the infection has been discovered which is still not available in the public. Thus in simple words, the infection can only be controlled using the antibiotics like Ciprofloxin, erythromycin, tetracycline, and penicillin.

So, protect yourself against this risky, life threatening and fatal infection and thus live a better and more hygienic life.