There are millions of diseases in the world, caused by several different types of immune system attacks. Viruses, parasites, funguses, bacterias, and genetics are just a few of many types of diseases. Anthrax is a disease that is based on bacteria. The disease is deadly and very rare. Anthrax seems to be a disease that is ominous but right at the edge of our society. Having knowledge of anthrax is important including: occurences, forms, and infection. There are three main types of anthrax. The forms vary in likelihood of death, what the symptoms are, and how to be infected.
All forms of Anthrax come from the bacteria Bacillius Anthracias. This bacteria creates spores as its main form of reproduction, these spores are the cause of all three type of Anthrax. The categories in which anthrax ails people are Gastrointestinal Anthrax, Cutaneous Anthrax, and Pulmonary Anthrax. Gastrointestinal Anthrax is the rarest form of Anthrax, however it the most deadly form of Anthrax. When infected by Gastrointestinal Anthrax your intestines and other parts of your digestive track are under attack.
People are infected with Gastrointestinal Anthrax by eating infected meat that has been undercooked. The symptoms of Gastrointestinal Anthrax are repulsive. Severe diarrhea, nausea, fever, pain in abdomen, and vomiting blood are all very common symptoms of this type of anthrax infection. In one to seven days the symptoms of Gastrointestinal Anthrax will begin appearing. About sixty percent of Gastrointestinal Anthrax cases end in death around the world. The second form of anthrax is the Cutaneous Anthrax. This type of anthrax is spread through open wounds getting spores in them.
Approximately seven days after infection symptoms begin to appear. First a small, red, itchy, bump, like a bug bites forms on the skin, in a couple of days the bump becomes a blister. The blister continues to evolve in to a painless ulcer on the skin with a black center. Oozing does occur on blisters but the pain does not last long. Pulmonary Anthrax is the third form of Anthrax. Gastrointestinal anthrax has the highest likelihood of deaths but Pulmonary Anthrax takes more lives than any other form of anthrax each year. Pulmonary Anthrax is also known as Inhalation Anthrax.
Infection of Pulmonary Anthrax occurs when live anthrax spores are breathed in through the mouth or nose and enter the lungs. Symptoms of Pulmonary Anthrax are the hardest to recognize. When symptoms begin, which can take anywhere from one day to several months to appear, it seems as though the victim is suffering from an ordinary cold. Symptoms start with a simple fever and cough, after a while symptoms progress to headaches, chills, weakness, chest pain, and difficulties breathing. In a matter of two days of severe symptoms the patient could be dead. All forms of Anthrax are deadly.
Pulmonary Anthrax can cause a human’s lungs to collapse on themselves, Gastrointestinal Anthrax can cause dehydration and starvation. The three forms of Anthrax can spread to the Lymph Glands, where the bacteria spores begin to grow creating a poisonous toxin, which then gets distributed throughout the body. The toxin causes organ failure and shock as well as internal bleeding. The most important fact to know about anthrax is it is not contagious. The spread of Anthrax in workplaces, by sneezing or coughing, or even fluids from an open Cutaneous Anthrax blister cannot occur.
There is no way to be infected by anthrax from another human being having the disease unless there was consumption of another human beings flesh. Cannibalism is very unlikely and even if the eating of another human being did occur the flesh would have to be cooked very poorly. Therefore always remember Anthrax is not contagious. Knowing about Anthrax is very important, and knowing all the facts makes you understand why a bioterrorist weapon made from Anthrax would be so scary. The likelihood of a biological weapon being made from Anthrax is extremely low.
Distributing enough Anthrax to the United States of America to cause a biological terrorist attack is nearly impossible. If a terrorist attack such as this would occur the most likely distribution method would be through postage. Fear of Anthrax being used as a biological weapon began in 2001 when a series of five deaths occurred from Pulmonary Anthrax coinciding with nine eleven. Since then the government has supplied every hospital with the antibiotics to treat Anthrax if an attack was ever to occur on United States soil.
As mentioned earlier there is a cure for every form of Anthrax, however every antibiotic treatment has to begin in the early stages of the disease. There are currently also vaccines for all three forms of Anthrax but they are expensive and only people with certain high risk careers can receive the vaccination. Anthrax is extremely rare in the United States, but is more common in areas with developing countries such as, South America, Central America, Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. Considering that Anthrax is so rare diagnoses for Anthrax can be difficult. Patients must see a doctor who specializes in DNA.
This doctor can take a sample of blood, mucus, or a piece of diseased skin tissue and examine it under a microscope to check for any Anthrax spores. If spores are found further tests are done to find out the length of time the patient has been infected with the Anthrax disease. Anthrax is a life threatening disease, although Anthrax is extremely dangerous in all forms the rarity of Anthrax keeps it from become a much larger issue in the United States. Bacillius Anthracis may be poisonous to human beings and to animals but it was made by God.
People must educate themselves on the matter to protect them and their families from the ominous disease, Anthrax, at hand. Citations Dowshen, Stephen, ed. “Anthrax. ” kidshealth. kidshealth, n. d. Web. 11 Apr 2013. “Anthrax. ” MedlinePlus.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. Web. 11 Apr 2013. “Anthrax. ” X-plain Patient Education. The Patient Educstion Institute, 15 Oct 2012. Web. 11 Apr 2013. “Anthrax Facts. ” Vermont department of Health Agency of Human services. VDH. Web. 11 Apr 2013.