Anthrax

__Anthra//x//__ //(__Bacillus__ __Anthracis__//). A lethal bacteria, capable of infecting both humans and animals. Anthrax is a rod-shaped aerobic bacterium ranging from 1 to 9 micrometers in length and is most commonly found in a dormant endospore form. Depending on how Anthrax makes contact with a victim, different affects can occur. If pulmonary, the affects initially resemble flu or cold-like symptoms for a few days until a sudden, usually fatal, respiratory collapse. Pulmonary infections have a 92% mortality rate and are generally lethal after 10,000 to 20,000 spores have entered the lungs. Secondly, gastrointestinal infections can cause, loss of apatite, lesions in the intestines, mouth, and throat, and vomiting blood. Gastrointestinal infections have a fatality rate, ranging from 25% to 60%, however it can be treated. Finally cutaneous infections, or skin infections start as boil like lesions and gradually form necrotic ulcers. If it is not treated, cutaneous anthrax infections can lead to toxemia and eventually death, though, it is rarely lethal if treated. Several vaccines have been synthesized to combat Anthrax, and some antibiotic treatments have cured lesser infections. In 1881 Loius Pasteur created the first Anthrax vaccine. If treating cutaneous infections, washing the lesion with bleach treated water for 30 minutes can usually help. Anthrax grows in soil, making grazing animals highly susceptible to being infected. Any form of interaction with something carrying the anthrax spores runs the risk of the spores spreading, and eventually infecting. Eating anthrax spores, inhaling anthrax spores, or getting anthrax spores in open cuts, leads to infection. While it is uncommon for anthrax to spread to uninfected humans, most precautions in dealing with anthrax involve quarantining any infected individuals, as it is still possible to contract it.

Anthrax can be prevented by taking anthrax vaccines, thoroughly washing clothing, showering daily, wearing safety equipment while dealing with wool, or other animals, and sterilizing meat.

**__Biological Warfare and Terrorism__** First used as a biological weapon in 1916 by Scandinavian Freedom fighters against a Russian military force in Finland, Anthrax has since become a dangerous weapon in biological warfare. During World War 2, the Royal Air Force dropped Anthrax infected cattle droppings, in an attempt to infect the livestock and harshly weaken the German forces. Overall the attack was not successful and the cattle droppings were incinerated in 1945. Prior to 1972, weaponized Anthrax had been stockpiled in US Biological warfare programs. The Soviet union had stockpiled 100 to 200 tons of Anthrax spore, though they had been abandoned in 1992, and eradicated in 2002. Currently, it is regular for the British and American military to take vaccines against Anthrax, as it is still considered a threat. In 2001 concentrated Anthrax spored were sent out in several letters killing five people and infecting 22. In response the US Postal services began to sterilize some mail with gamma radiation. Bruce E. Ivins, an 18 year government employee was suspected of the crimes, as the specific strain of Anthrax that had been mailed was isolated at his laboratory. Shortly after such speculations the US government shut the laboratory down and spent $130 million cleaning the facility. $65 million was also spent to sterilize the postal office where the letters were sent, and $41.7 million was spent to clean the government buildings where the letters had been opened.

Sources: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/animals/terrestrial-animals/diseases/reportable/anthrax/fact-sheet/eng/1330049907962/1330050020233 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002301/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthrax http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_anthrax_attacks