Anthrax - Know Your Enemy
The lethal outbreak of ANTHRAX after 2001 terrorist attacks in America shook the whole world, which was labeled by the Bush administration as a "bio-terrorist attack.
" To close 100 anthrax cases were found in United States after the terrorist attack on World Trade Center.
But what is Anthrax all about? Well it's an acute infectious disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis.
It is normally found in wild and domestic animals like cattle, sheep, goats, camels and other herbivores.
But it can also occur in humans when they are exposed to infected animals or their tissues.
Anthrax can be infected in humans in any of the three forms given below.
Firstly through Skin: About 95% of the anthrax infections are through skin.
The bacterium enters when there is cut or scratch on the skin.
This could happen to people whose job includes usage of unhygienic wool, hides or leather of infected animals.
The people suffering from this kind of infection usually get a raised itchy bump, which looks like an insect bite, but no sooner this develops into a vesicle and then a simple boil.
Usually nearly one-fifth untreated cases of skin anthrax also known as cutaneous anthrax will end up in death.
Secondly through breathing: In this kind of anthrax, early symptoms may bear a resemblance to a common cold, but within few days result in severe breathing problems.
This kind of anthrax is usually deadly.
Thirdly through Intestine: The intestinal form of anthrax occurs mainly due to the consumption of contaminated meat.
The symptoms of this are an acute swelling of the intestinal area, nausea, loss of appetite, fever, vomiting with blood and severe diarrhea followed by abdominal pain.
Intestinal anthrax leads to a death of 25%-60% cases.
But there's nothing to worry about it a lot.
Anthrax is not a contagious disease and does not spread from one person to another.
The vaccines developed for anthrax is found to be 93% protective in fighting against anthrax.
Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed (or AVA) is the prescribed vaccine for anthrax.
Terrorist as a weapon to annihilate people often uses this bacterial disease.
They spread this disease effectively by means of mail delivery system.
Cross- contamination of mail also takes place during the processing, sorting, and delivery of mail when an envelope comes in contact with an envelope, piece of equipment like an electronic sorting machine or other surface that is contaminated with Bacillus anthracis spores.
This can be prevented by taking some important precautions like:
Most (about 95%) anthrax infections occur when the bacterium enters a cut or abrasion on the skin, such as when handling contaminated wool, hides, leather or hair products (especially goat hair) of infected animals.
Skin infection begins as a raised itchy bump that resembles an insect bite but within 1-2 days develops into a vesicle and then a painless ulcer, usually 1-3 cm in diameter, with a characteristic black necrotic (dying) area in the center.
Lymph glands in the adjacent area may swell.
About 20% of untreated cases of cutaneous anthrax will result in death.
Deaths are rare with appropriate antimicrobial therapy.
inhalation: Initial symptoms may resemble a common cold.
After several days, the symptoms may progress to severe breathing problems and shock.
inhalation anthrax is usually fatal.
Intestinal: The intestinal disease form of anthrax may follow the consumption of contaminated meat and is characterized by an acute inflammation of the intestinal tract.
Initial signs of nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, fever are followed by abdominal pain, vomiting of blood, and severe diarrhea.
Intestinal anthrax results in death in 25% to 60% of cases.
" To close 100 anthrax cases were found in United States after the terrorist attack on World Trade Center.
But what is Anthrax all about? Well it's an acute infectious disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis.
It is normally found in wild and domestic animals like cattle, sheep, goats, camels and other herbivores.
But it can also occur in humans when they are exposed to infected animals or their tissues.
Anthrax can be infected in humans in any of the three forms given below.
Firstly through Skin: About 95% of the anthrax infections are through skin.
The bacterium enters when there is cut or scratch on the skin.
This could happen to people whose job includes usage of unhygienic wool, hides or leather of infected animals.
The people suffering from this kind of infection usually get a raised itchy bump, which looks like an insect bite, but no sooner this develops into a vesicle and then a simple boil.
Usually nearly one-fifth untreated cases of skin anthrax also known as cutaneous anthrax will end up in death.
Secondly through breathing: In this kind of anthrax, early symptoms may bear a resemblance to a common cold, but within few days result in severe breathing problems.
This kind of anthrax is usually deadly.
Thirdly through Intestine: The intestinal form of anthrax occurs mainly due to the consumption of contaminated meat.
The symptoms of this are an acute swelling of the intestinal area, nausea, loss of appetite, fever, vomiting with blood and severe diarrhea followed by abdominal pain.
Intestinal anthrax leads to a death of 25%-60% cases.
But there's nothing to worry about it a lot.
Anthrax is not a contagious disease and does not spread from one person to another.
The vaccines developed for anthrax is found to be 93% protective in fighting against anthrax.
Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed (or AVA) is the prescribed vaccine for anthrax.
Terrorist as a weapon to annihilate people often uses this bacterial disease.
They spread this disease effectively by means of mail delivery system.
Cross- contamination of mail also takes place during the processing, sorting, and delivery of mail when an envelope comes in contact with an envelope, piece of equipment like an electronic sorting machine or other surface that is contaminated with Bacillus anthracis spores.
This can be prevented by taking some important precautions like:
- Notopening suspicious mail
- Keep mail away from your face when opening it
- Not blowingor sniffing mail or mail contents
- Avoiding vigorous handling of mail, such as tearingor shredding
- Washing handsafter handling the mail
- Discarding envelopes after opening mail.
Most (about 95%) anthrax infections occur when the bacterium enters a cut or abrasion on the skin, such as when handling contaminated wool, hides, leather or hair products (especially goat hair) of infected animals.
Skin infection begins as a raised itchy bump that resembles an insect bite but within 1-2 days develops into a vesicle and then a painless ulcer, usually 1-3 cm in diameter, with a characteristic black necrotic (dying) area in the center.
Lymph glands in the adjacent area may swell.
About 20% of untreated cases of cutaneous anthrax will result in death.
Deaths are rare with appropriate antimicrobial therapy.
inhalation: Initial symptoms may resemble a common cold.
After several days, the symptoms may progress to severe breathing problems and shock.
inhalation anthrax is usually fatal.
Intestinal: The intestinal disease form of anthrax may follow the consumption of contaminated meat and is characterized by an acute inflammation of the intestinal tract.
Initial signs of nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, fever are followed by abdominal pain, vomiting of blood, and severe diarrhea.
Intestinal anthrax results in death in 25% to 60% of cases.
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