Learn the symptoms after exposure
Anthraxis a rare but serious infectious disease brought on by the bacteriumBacillus anthracis.
Thisbacteriumis often found in the soil and infects animals.
Its spores can be weaponized and turned into a powder.
Illustration by Zoe Hansen for Verywell Health
They turn off all but the essential functions and wait for the time to be right again.
People get anthrax infections from anthrax spores.
Depending on how a person is exposed, they can have varying effects.
If spores are inhaled, they can be deadly.
The effects are milder when only the skin is infected.
Illustration by Zoe Hansen for Verywell Health
Anthrax is rare in the United States.
It will explain how anthrax spreads, the signs of anthrax exposure, and treatment options for anthrax.
Anthrax Powder History
The bacteria that create anthrax spores occur naturally.
Anthrax bacteria can be grown in the lab to make anthrax powder.
Anthrax powder is purified anthrax spores that have been processed so that they can spread through the air.
The most significant use of anthrax in recent memory is a 2001 attack in the United States.
Someone sent letters filled with a white anthrax powder to two U.S.
Senators and news media offices.
Twenty-two people came into contact with anthrax (11 respiratory and 11 skin infections), and five died.
How Do Humans Encounter Anthrax?
Humans encounter anthrax from coming into contact with bacterial spores.
These spores are present in the soil and can also infect animals.
Anthrax spores can be turned into a powder.
These spores float in the air and can be inhaled.
This jot down of anthrax has been used as a bioterror weapon and can be deadly.
If you have signs of anthrax poisoning, go to the ER immediately.
Animals susceptible to anthrax infection include:
Is Anthrax Contagious?
Anthrax isnt contagious the way a cold or the flu is contagious.
You cant catch anthrax poisoning from a person with the infection just by interacting with them.
Rarely, the infection may pass from one person to the other through secretions from an infected wound.
They then multiply, spread in the body, and make toxins that can make you sick.
The signs of anthrax poisoning differ based on how youve come into contact with anthrax.
All types of anthrax can be deadly if the infection spreads throughout the body.
Inhaled Anthrax
Inhaling anthrax spores causes severe symptoms and can be deadly.
Symptoms usually develop within a week after exposure but can take as long as two months.
The infection first spreads to thelymph nodesin the chest and then to the rest of the body.
It causes breathing problems and can send the body intoshock.
This can cause an infection called cutaneous anthrax.
Spores may come from an infected animal or the soil.
Cutaneous anthrax is most common on the head, neck, forearms, and hands.
It affects the skin and tissue around the site of infection.
Signs of infection show up one to seven days after exposure to the spores.
Ingested Anthrax
Anthrax can infect the gastrointestinal system, causing ingested anthrax.
This may happen when you eat raw or undercooked meat from an infected animal.
This is rare in the United States, where many animals get vaccinated against anthrax and inspected before slaughtering.
Its more common in other areas of the world where the vaccine is less common.
Infection with gastrointestinal anthrax can take one to seven days to show up after exposure.
People exposed to anthrax can get ananthrax vaccine.
They get three doses over four weeks.
A healthcare provider will also give you antibiotics.
They can test your blood for anthrax toxins or antibodies against anthrax.
They can also test a sample of your blood, wound fluid,phlegm, orspinal fluidfor anthrax bacteria.
If the anthrax infection is serious, you may need to stay in the hospital.
In all anthrax cases, a healthcare provider will give you medicine to treat the infection and reduce symptoms.
Drugs used to treat anthrax infection include:
Anthrax Mortality and Survivability
you might survive anthrax poisoning.
Anthrax poisoning is not always fatal.Especially with treatment, most people with anthrax survive.
With treatment, most people with anthrax will survive.
Without treatment, anthrax infections can be deadly.
The sooner you start treatment, the better your chances of recovery.
Call a healthcare provider immediately if you think you may have been exposed to anthrax.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).What is anthrax?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).The threat of an anthrax attack.
United States General Accounting Office.Public health response to anthrax incidents of 2001.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).How people get anthrax.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Types of anthrax.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Symptoms of anthrax.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About anthrax.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Treatment of anthrax infection.
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