Q: What is Anthrax?

Anthrax is a spore-forming bacteria (Bacillus anthracis) that is rapidly fatal if not treated promptly. It can cause disease in the lungs by inhaling spores or infect the skin by direct contact with the bacteria, or infect the gastrointestinal tract by ingestion of the bacteria.

Q: How is the disease transmitted?

Anthrax is primarily a disease of animals such as cattle, goats, and sheep. Humans can contract the disease by handling contaminated hair, wool, hides, flesh, blood and excreta of infected animals. Inhalation of anthrax spores can occur in high-risk industrial processes such as tanning of hides, or wool/bone processing. Infection is introduced through scratches or abrasions of the skin, wounds, inhalation of spores, eating undercooked infected meat, or by flies.

Q: What are the symptoms of Anthrax?

For skin infection, itching of the exposed area occurs first, followed by a lesion that develops into a depressed black scar that is usually surrounded by extensive reddened swelling of the skin. Initial symptoms of a lung infection include fever, aches, fatigue, nonproductive cough and mild chest discomfort. These symptoms are followed by a short period of improvement, followed by the sudden development of severe respiratory distress with difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, sweating, and bluish discoloration of the lips and extremities. Shock and death usually follow within 24-36 hours. Symptoms of intestinal anthrax are abdominal distress and fever. This rapidly progresses to an infection of the bloodstream usually followed by death.

Q: How soon do the symptoms appear?

Symptoms usually appear within a few hours to several days after infection with B anthracis.

Q: Can an infected person spread anthrax?

There are no reported cases of transmission from person to person. Articles and soil contaminated with spores may remain infective for decades.

Q: What should be done in suspected exposure cases?

Seek medical attention and the local health authority should be notified. Prophylactic antibiotics should be administered. If the exposure is confirmed, treatment should be continued for 60 days.