What is the disease about? Anthrax is a serious infectious disease caused by a gram positive rod shaped bacteria know as bacillus anthracis.it occurs naturally in soil and commonly affects domestic and wild animals. people can get sick with Anthrax if they come in contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products. Anthrax is not contagious, which means that you can’t contact it from another person like the cold or flu.
Causes of Anthrax: Anthrax spores are formed by Anthrax bacteria “bacillus anthracis” that occur naturally in soil in most parts of the world. The spores remain dormant for years until they find their way into a host. Common hosts for anthrax include wild or domestic livestock such as sheep, cattle, horses, ,camels and goats.
How Anthrax is transmitted: Animals are infected when they breathe in or ingest spores in contaminated soil, plants or water. Humans get infected with Anthrax when spores get into the body, they can be activated. The bacteria can multiply and spread out in the body, produce toxins, and cause severe illness. This can happen when people breathe in spores eats food like meat and other animal products like milk, hides, and skin or drink water contaminated with spores or get spores in a cut or scrape in the skin. There is no evidence that anthrax is transmitted from person to person but it’s possible that anthrax skin lesions (infected or injured parts of the skin)maybe contagious through direct or indirect contact with a contaminated object(fomite).
How is the disease recognized in animals? Affected animals are usually found dead without any sign of illness. Dark unclotted blood flowing from body openings of the affected animal (nose, ear, mouth and anal region) and the body of the animal does not stiffen after death.
Symptoms of anthrax in humans; there are four common routes of anthrax infection each with different signs and symptoms. However, it’s possible for inhalation anthrax to take more than six weeks to appear. They are: Cutaneous anthrax; skin related (cutaneous) Anthrax infection enters your body through your skin usually through your skin, usually through a cut or other sore. It is by far the most common route of the disease, it’s also the mildest. With appropriate treatment, cutaneous anthrax is seldom fatal.
Signs and symptoms include; A raised, itchy bump resembling an insect bite that quickly develops into a painless sore with black center. Swelling in the sore and nearby lymph glands. Sometimes, flu-like symptoms including fever and headache.
Gastrointestinal anthrax: A gastrointestinal anthrax infection results from eating undercooked meat from an infected animal. It can affect your gastrointestinal tract from your throat to your colon. Signs and symptoms include; Nausea, Vomiting, Abdominal pain, Headache, Loss of appetite, Fever, Severe bloody diarrhea in the later stage of the disease, Sore throat and difficulty in swallowing, Swollen neck etc.
Inhalation anthrax: Inhalation anthrax develops when you breathe in anthrax spores. It’s the most deadly form of the disease and is often fatal, even with treatment. Initial signs and symptoms include; Flu-like symptoms for a few hours or days, such as sore throat, mild fever, fatigue and muscle aches, Mild chest discomfort, Shortness of breath, Nausea, Coughing up blood, Painful swallowing, High fever, Trouble breathing, Shock (an acute medical condition involving collapse of the circulatory system, Meningitis, Death.
Injection anthrax: This recently identified route of anthrax has so far been reported only in Europe. It is contacted through injecting illegal drugs into the body. Initial signs and symptoms include; significant swelling, Shock, Multiple organ failure, Meningitis
Complications: The most serious complications of anthrax include; Your body being unable to respond to infection normally leading to damage of multiple organs (sepsis). Inflatable of the membranes and fluid covering the brain and spinal cord, leading to massive bleeding (hemorrhagic meningitis) and death.
When to see a doctor: Many common illnesses start with symptoms that resemble the flu. The chances that your sore throat and aching muscles are due to anthrax are extremely small. If you think you have been exposed, for example if you work in an environment where anthrax is likely to occur , example of such environment may include:
If you are in the military and deployed to an area with a high risk of exposure to anthrax. Work anthrax in a laboratory setting. If you handle anima skins, furs or wool from areas with a high incidence of anthrax. Work in veterinary medicine especially if you deal with livestock. You handle or dress game animals. Inject illegal drugs such as heroin. Are a farmer, abattoir worker, butcher, cattle rearer, livestock producer and trader, wildlife handler, parkranger, processor, importer and exporter of hide and skin.
See a doctor immediately for evaluation and care. If you develop signs and symptoms of the disorder after exposure to animals or animal products in parts of the world where anthrax is common, seek prompt and proper medical attention, early diagnosis and treatment are crucial.
Prevention: To prevent infection after being exposed to anthrax spores, the Center for disease control and prevention recommends; A 60-days treatment with antibiotics _ ciprofloxacin are approved for adults and children. A three-dose series of anthrax vaccine. In some cases, treatment with monoclonal antibodies- raxibacumab and obilotoxaximab
Anthrax vaccine: An anthrax vaccine is available for certain groups of people. The vaccine doesn’t contain live bacteria and can’t lead to infection. However, the vaccine can cause side effects ranging from soreness at the injection site to more serious allergic reactions. The vaccine isn’t intended for the general public, instead it is reserved for military personnel, scientists working with anthrax and people in other high risk professions.
Avoid infected animals and their products. If you live in or travel to a country where anthrax is common and herd animals aren’t routinely vaccinated. Also avoid contact with livestock and animal products like hides, skin, milk, furs etc as much as possible. Avoid eating meat that hasn’t been properly cooked.
– Esther Enenuma Sani
Prince Abubakar Audu University, Anyigba.
