Introduction
Anthrax is a disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, which is a virus that lives in soil. Bacillus anthracis is derived from the Greek, anthracites, meaning coal, referring to the black, coal-like lesions that are commonly found on the skin of those infected. Reservoirs are grass-eating animals, and the microorganisms’ can live in the surrounding for many years. This virus is endemic in numerous states of the world, including eastern and southern Europe. It mostly affects animals such as sheep, cattle, and goats more frequently than human beings. However, people can get infected with anthrax from contact with sick animals, meat, or wools (Peter & Bruce, 2008). It may cause different types of infections in human beings. First is inhalation which affects the lungs. People can get this if they inhale spores of the virus. Second, cutaneous, which affects the skin. Humans with open wounds or cuts can get infected if they touch the bacteria. Third, gastrointestinal, which affects the digestive system. People can get it by consuming infected meat.
The origin of Anthrax
Anthrax made its first documented appearance in 1491 B.C. Its origin is alleged to have occurred in the middle antediluvian world, with recognized occasion considered to be linked to Bacillus anthracis. Before Virgil (70 B.C.-20 B.C.) composed the Aeneid, he inscribed a collection on poetries on farming called Georgics. In addition to subjects of agriculture and veterinary remedy, he devoted a piece to a virus that establishes itself in cattle and wild animals, in his third Georgic. The ancient assumed documentation of anthrax is present in Egypt for the period of the time of Moses and the fifth plague, designated as a disease affecting livestock. In 1613, the scandalous “Black Bane” took place and became the foremost European epidemics. Throughout this time, it killed over 60,000 cattle and humans. In between 1793-1867 and 1812-1882, Pierre Rayer and Casimir-Joseph Davaine, made the first bacteriological development respectively, when they discovered small sticks in the blood of anthrax infested cattle (Susan, 2010).
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Additional, in 1993, a vaporizer holding Bacillus anthracis was released from a conserving tower of Aum Shinrikyo headquarters, in Tokyo. Although nobody died, many individuals complained of bad smells, nausea, and loss of appetite. Before and after the September 11th 2001, powdered anthrax bacteria were mailed to various authoritative figures in New York. Those who touched the letters contacted either skin form of anthrax or inhalational anthrax became sick and some died (Judith, William & Stephen, 2012).
Where is anthrax found in nature?
Anthrax is most common in pastoral regions of sub-Saharan Africa, the Carribean, South and Central America, and central and southwest Asia. It is uncommon in the U.S. but irregular occurrences do take place in wild and locally grazed animals. It is more common in unindustrialized nations and nations that don’t have veterinary public health plan that regularly immunizes animals against anthrax (Peter & Bruce, 2008).
Causes and symptoms of anthrax
Anthrax is caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. This virus can generate microorganisms that can either be inhaled consumed in contaminated meat, or merely infect the skin directly through animal and human contact. When infested meat is consumed, it results in the food-poisoning type of symptoms, which poisons the blood and causes fever. When anthrax is inhaled, the symptoms start off as related to a common cold, but respiratory signs quickly aggravate and after several days, the patient goes into shock. When anthrax comes into contact with open wounds or cuts and is left untreated, it could spread and result in blood poisoning. Exposure to the virus doesn’t automatically mean that an individual will become infected. This is because most of these spores are inactive, and may not cause any threat (Jefferey, 2011). In humans, a small fraction of the microorganisms can be destroyed by the immune system. It is projected that about 11,000 spores are needed for a person to be infected. 8 out of 10 infected people die, once the bacteria enters the lungs and causes an infection.
History of anthrax being used as a weapon
In the former two decades, the possible use of organic weapons by a group of terrorists has established a great deal of consideration, mainly in the U.S. From 1990 to 1991, the government of Iraq exposed the movement of the presence of an anthrax bioweapon development during the Persian Gulf War. Then, in September 2001, letters containing powdered anthrax was posted to various authoritative figures in the U.S. When the letters were opened, a few staffs inhaled the bacteria, which led to a few deaths. Since 1978, the death of a Florida man was considered to be the very first incident of inhalational anthrax and from June 2002, more than 20 incidents and 5 demises were accredited to the attacks by the terrorists (Jeanne, 2010). Even though anthrax is a comparatively new weapon at the present prospective bioterrorists’ exposure, the occurrences of attacks using inhalational anthrax have been part of human past since the ancient times.
Additionally, the use of bacteria such as anthrax virus as a defence is not new. In the early military campaigns, infected bodies, including those who had died from the anthrax infection, were used to contaminate boreholes and others thrown into metropolises under siege. During the World War I, soldiers carried out the study into the martial use of anthrax on all sides of the war, and by World War II, anthrax study was aggressively in progress. For instance, Allied labors in U.S, Canada, and Britain to advance anthrax-based weapons included the invention of about five million anthrax “slabs” intended to be released in Germany to poison boreholes and infect the food chain. However, the armaments were never used (Jefferey, 2011).
In 1995, Sarin gas was released into the Tokyo subway system, killing more than 10 individuals and hospitalizing others. Unquestionably, terrorist groups had released crude anthrax planning’s in 1993, in Tokyo on at least eight different incidents. In conclusion, in late 2001, during the U.S. terrorist attacks, the usage of anthrax by terrorist groups revealed, how simple the deadly agent could be distributed, as of 2003. The ease of anthrax distribution is one feature that has made the virus an attractive armament for terrorists. Even though changes in weather occurrences would significantly decrease the number of predictable actual demises, such an outbreak could still cause the demises of many people and led to an attack on the economic and health infrastructure of the attacked metropolitan (Judith, William & Stephen, 2012).
Treatment and Prevention of Anthrax
Usually, anthrax is diagnosed by segregating Bacillus anthracis from the respiratory secretions, blood, or skin wounds. The time between getting infected and showing symptoms is commonly day 1 to day 7, but it can also be up to about 2 months. People can lessen the risk of anthrax infection by having the anthrax vaccine, BioThrax vaccine, which is authorized by FDA. When used after contact to anthrax, it is directed as a 3-dose vaccine sequence but when used as a defensive measure, it is a 5-dose sequence directed over an 18-month period. Treatment with antibiotics is vital, mainly for inhalational anthrax. Preventative antibiotics may also be given to individuals, in some cases, who suspect to have come into contact with the anthrax bacteria. Moreover, anthrax control in livestock flock is vital to prevent it from spreading to human beings. By law, farmers who suspect anthrax in or around their farms are mandated to immediately notify a government veterinary officer (Jeanne, 2010).
References
Jeanne, G. (2010). Anthrax: The Investigation of a Deadly Outbreak . New York: University of
California Press. Print.
Jefferey, R. (2011). Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Containing and Preventing Biological
Threats. Chicago: Butterworth-Heinemann Publishers. Print.
Judith, M., William, J., & Stephen, E. (2012). Germs: Biological Weapons and America’s Secret
War. London: McGraw Hill. Print.
Peter, C. & Bruce, T. (2008). Anthrax in Humans and Animals . London: World Health
Organization. Print.
Susan, D. (2010). Death in a Small Package: A Short History of Anthrax . New York: JHU Press.
Print.
