Anthrax
Anthrax Anthrax is a serious infectious disease caused by gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria known as Bacillus anthracis. Anthrax spores are found naturally in soil and infect both wild and domestic animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, antelope, and deer. Mode of Transmission •Spread of disease in animals: Animals can get infected when they breathe in or ingest spores in contaminated soil, plants or water. • Spread of disease in humans: Person to person transmission is very rare. People normally get infected by anthrax bacillus by: * Inhaling spores * Eating food or drinking water that is contaminated with spores * Getting spores in the body through a cut or scrape in the skin Types of Anthrax • Cutaneous: Entry of anthrax spores into the skin through a cut or scrape, can lead to cutaneous anthrax. The incubation period for cutaneous anthrax is oneseven days. Skin infection begins as a painless, pruritic papule that resembles an...