Disease Facts
What is Anthrax?
Anthrax is an acute infectious disease caused by the
spore-forming bacterium
Bacillus
anthracis
. Anthrax most commonly occurs in grazing mammals (cattle, sheep
or goats), but it can also occur in humans when they are exposed to infected
animals or tissue from infected animals.
Why has Anthrax
become a current issue?
Because Anthrax is
considered to be a potential agent for use in biological warfare. The threat of
a deliberate release of Anthrax is serious because:
The organism is relatively
easy to cultivate from environmental sources.
The inhalation form of
disease has a high mortality rate.
How is Anthrax transmitted?
The spores of
B.anthracis
are extremely durable. Modes of transmission include:
What are the symptoms of Anthrax?
Symptoms of disease vary depending on how the
disease was contracted, but symptoms usually occur within 7
days.
Cutaneous:
A skin lesion evolving
during a period of 2-6 days. It occurs when the bacterium enters a cut or
abrasion on the skin. The 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 centre. Lymph glands in the adjacent area may
swell.
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 characterised
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 diarrhoea. Intestinal Anthrax results in death in 25% to 60% of
cases.
Can Anthrax be spread from person-to-person?
Direct person-to-person spread of Anthrax is
extremely unlikely to occur. Communicability is not a concern in managing or
visiting with patients with Anthrax.
Am I at risk of
Anthrax as a result of the situation in America?
No. There has not been any
identifiable risk of Anthrax in the UK as a result of the situation in America
Is there a
vaccine currently available?
A vaccine for Anthrax was
developed in the late 1950’s and has been licensed for use in the UK since
1979. There is no identified general risk for the population and vaccines are
therefore only available for those at risk.
What is the
protocol for Anthrax vaccination?
The
immunisation consists of three subcutaneous injections given 2 weeks apart followed
by three additional subcutaneous injections given at 6, 12, and 18 months.
Annual booster injections of the vaccine are recommended thereafter.
Are there
adverse reactions to the Anthrax vaccine?
Mild
local reactions occur in 30% of recipients and consist of slight tenderness and
redness at the injection site. Severe local reactions are infrequent and
consist of extensive swelling of the forearm in addition to the local reaction.
Systemic reactions occur in less than 0.2% of recipients.
Is there a treatment for Anthrax?
Doctors can prescribe effective antibiotics. To be
effective, treatment should be initiated early. If left untreated, the disease
can be fatal.
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