Anthrax in Makranda

Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis.[2] It can occur in four forms: skin, lungs, intestinal, and injection.[9] Symptoms begin between one day and two months after the infection is contracted.[1] The skin form presents with a small blister with surrounding swelling that often turns into a painless ulcer with a black center.[1] The inhalation form presents with fever, chest pain, and shortness of breath.[1] The intestinal form presents with diarrhea which may contain blood, abdominal pains, and nausea and vomiting.[1] The injection form presents with fever and an abscess at the site of drug injection.[1]

Anthrax is spread by contact with the bacterium's spores, which often appear in infectious animal products.[10] Contact is by breathing, eating, or through an area of broken skin.[10] It does not typically spread directly between people.[10] Risk factors include people who work with animals or animal products, travelers, postal workers, and military personnel.[3] Diagnosis can be confirmed based on finding antibodies or the toxin in the blood or by culture of a sample from the infected site.[4]

Anthrax vaccination is recommended for people who are at high risk of infection.[3] Immunizing animals against anthrax is recommended in areas where previous infections have occurred.[10] Two months of antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and doxycycline after exposure can also prevent infection.[5] If infection occurs treatment is with antibiotics and possibly antitoxin.[6] The type and number of antibiotics used depends on the type of infection.[5] Antitoxin is recommended for those with widespread infection.[5]

Although a rare disease, human anthrax, when it does occur, is most common in Africa and central and southern Asia.[11] It also occurs more regularly in Southern Europe than elsewhere on the continent, and is uncommon in Northern Europe and North America.[12] Globally, at least 2,000 cases occur a year with about two cases a year in the United States.[8][13] Skin infections represent more than 95% of cases.[7] Without treatment, the risk of death from skin anthrax is 24%.[5] For intestinal infection, the risk of death is 25 to 75%, while respiratory anthrax has a mortality of 50 to 80%, even with treatment.[5][7] Until the 20th century, anthrax infections killed hundreds of thousands of people and animals each year.[14] Anthrax has been developed as a weapon by a number of countries.[7] In plant-eating animals, infection occurs when they eat or breathe in the spores while grazing.[11] Carnivores may become infected by eating infected animals