Anthrax - Symptom, Causes, Treatment of Anthrax

Anthrax is a highly infectious disease of animals (sheep, cattle, goats, horses) caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, which is shed from sores on infected animals as spores that can survive for decades on animal hair and in soil. Anthrax is primarily a disease of domesticated and wild animals, particularly herbivorous animals, such as cattle, sheep, horses, mules, and goats. Humans become infected incidentally when brought into contact with diseased animals, which includes their flesh, bones, hides, hair and excrement.

Anthrax, which is also known as woolsorters disease, can be transmitted to humans by contact with infected beasts or their products. Human infection is usually through a break in the skin or, very rarely from eating contaminated meat or inhaling spores.

Anthrax is generally spread in one of three ways. Most persons who are exposed to anthrax become ill within one week:

• Skin (cutaneous) - Most anthrax infections occur when people touch contaminated animal products like wool, bone, hair, and hide. 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. However, the infectious dose for inhalational anthrax is quite high, and requires exposure to a large number of spores (8,000-10,000).
• Gastrointestinal - Some people may get anthrax by eating infected meat that has not been properly cooked.

Symptom of Anthrax

After infection the incubation period is 3 to 5 days. Skin infection (usually on the hand or arm) begins as a red lump, which over several days becomes blistered and then ulcerated and covered with a black scab. There may be fever, flu like symptoms, and swollen, tender glands in the armpit. Lung infection causes severe pneumonia.

More Common Sign and Symptoms

• Skin (cutaneous) - This is the most common form of anthrax. Infection requires a break in the skin. The first symptoms include itching where the skin has been exposed. Then, a large boil or sore appears. The sore becomes covered by a black scab. If not treated, the infection can spread to the lymph nodes and bloodstream.
• Inhalation - Inhalation anthrax has been very rare in the U.S. First symptoms include fever, fatigue, malaise and a cough or chest pain. High fever, rapid pulse, and severe difficulty breathing follow in 2-5 days. Inhalation anthrax is often fatal.
• Gastrointestinal - This form occurs only after eating infected, undercooked meat. First symptoms include fever; abdominal pain; loose, watery bowel movements; and vomiting with blood.

Diagnosis & Treatment of Anthrax

Anthrax is diagnosed when the Bacillus anthracis bacterium is found in the blood, skin lesions, or respiratory secretions by a laboratory culture. There are several antibiotics that are used successfully to treat anthrax. Treatment is highly effective in cases of cutaneous (skin) anthrax and is effective in inhalation and gastrointestinal anthrax if begun early in the course of infection.The diagnosis is confirmed by finding anthrax bacteria in samples taken from the sores or sputum. Appropriate antibiotics clear up the infection and prevent its spreading to nearby skin. It can also be diagnosed by measuring specific antibodies in the blood of infected persons. Nose swabs are not a good way to diagnose anthrax.

Bookmark This Page:

Home | Directory | Skin Diseases | Site Map | Cardiovascular Diseases | Hematological Diseases | Contact Us | Submit Site
Copyright © 2006 Medical-Diseases.info All Rights Reserved