Symptoms
Depending on the organs affected, the following clinical pictures are distinguished:
- Cutaneous anthrax
- Pulmonary anthrax
- Gastrointestinal anthrax
Injection anthrax is observed when contaminated illicit heroin is injected intravenously. Typical symptoms of anthrax include fever, aching limbs, headache, sweating, chills and edema. Anthrax can lead to blood poisoning, meningitis, and organ failure, among other symptoms, and is often fatal if left untreated. Fortunately, anthrax is extremely rare in many countries.
Causes
The cause of the disease is infection with the gram-positive and rod-shaped bacterium . The bacterium is found in soil and infects herbivorous animals from which it can be transmitted to humans. These include cattle, sheep, goats, horses and deer. Soil is the natural reservoir of the bacterium. The bacteria form extremely resistant spores that can survive for decades and are activated only when sei finds suitable conditions in the host organism. Then the anthrax bacteria multiply and produce toxins that cause tissue damage. The spores can be inhaled, enter a small skin lesion, or be ingested with contaminated food or water. Human-to-human transmission, on the other hand, is very rare and rarely observed. Cutaneous anthrax, however, should be considered potentially contagious.
Bioterrorism with anthrax spores.
Anthrax spores can be misused as biological weapons and for bioterrorism. For example, letters containing anthrax spores were sent to politicians, news outlets, and newspapers in the United States after September 11, 2011, resulting in illness and death.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is made by medical treatment based on patient history, clinical symptoms, imaging techniques, and pathogen detection.
Drug treatment
Antibiotics:
- Among the groups used tetracyclines such as doxycycline and quinolones such as ciprofloxacin.
Monoclonal antibodies:
- Obiltoxaximab (Anthim) and Raxibacumab are antibodies intended for the treatment of pulmonary anthrax. They bind to components of anthrax toxin.
Prevention
- Vaccines
- Exposure prophylaxis
