What is Anthrax? Symptoms and Treatment

Anthrax is a rare, serious disease caused by the Bacillus anthracis bacteria and transmitted to humans from grass-eating farm animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, camels and wild game. It is also known by names such as “shepherd’s boil” and “black blister” among the public. You can find answers to your questions such as what anthrax means, what is anthrax disease, what are the symptoms of anthrax and how is anthrax treated, in the rest of the article.

What is Anthrax?

Anthrax is one of the oldest known zoonotic diseases. Bacillus anthracis is a spore-forming bacterium. Thanks to sports, it can continue to live for years in environments that are not suitable for reproduction. Spore forms of Bacillus anthracis are extremely resistant to heat, cold, ultraviolet, chemical disinfectants, high and low pH. Due to these properties, anthrax is also used as a biological weapon.

Although anthrax disease did not cause a pandemic that resulted in deaths worldwide, it is one of the important diseases in world history. Anthrax, also known as the 5th plague in some regions, is one of the infectious diseases that is decreasing day by day. Cases of human anthrax have decreased significantly in Western countries over the last 20 years. Anthrax disease is now endemic in some Latin American, African and Asian countries. In our country, anthrax cases, although rare, generally have an agricultural origin. In 2017, anthrax disease occurred in only 37 people in the Eastern Anatolia Region and all cases were treated.

Ways of Transmission of Anthrax

Anthrax is transmitted to humans through direct or indirect contact with sick animals. However, there is no definitive evidence that it is transmitted from person to person or from animal to animal. Anthrax disease is divided into 3 groups according to the sources of contamination:

• Agricultural Anthrax:It is the most common transmission route of anthrax in Turkey. The bacteria is transmitted to humans through direct contact with an infected animal.
• Industrial Anthrax:It is transmitted to humans as a result of the processing of animal hair, wool, skin and bones after being infected by bacteria.
• Laboratory Acquired Anthrax:Although this mode of transmission is rare, it can cause serious outbreaks. It is transmitted by using anthrax bacteria grown in a laboratory environment as a biological weapon.

What are the Types of Anthrax and the Symptoms of Anthrax Disease?

Symptoms of anthrax begin to appear within 2-6 days after exposure to the bacteria. Anthrax can show different symptoms depending on the route of transmission:

1. Gastrointestinal System Anthrax

The entire gastrointestinal (digestive) system of the infected patient, from the throat to the intestines, is affected. It is transmitted by consuming undercooked or raw food obtained from anthrax-infected animals. Most of the following symptoms begin to appear within 2-5 days after consumption of anthrax-containing foods:

• Nausea,
• Vomiting,
• Loss of appetite,
• Stomach ache,
• Fire,
• Blushing (red face) and red eyes,
• Headache,
• Severe bloody diarrhea,
• Sore throat and difficulty swallowing,
• severe stomach pain,
• Swelling of the neck and cervical glands.

2. Pulmonary Anthrax

Pulmonary anthrax is the most dangerous type of anthrax. Anthrax spores from infected animals may remain suspended in the air. These bacteria, transmitted to humans through the respiratory tract, cause serious symptoms from the second day of infection:

• Sore throat,
• Fatigue and muscle aches,
• Mild chest discomfort,
• Shake,
• Shortness of breath,
• Nausea,
• spitting blood,
• difficulty swallowing,
• High fever,
• Shock,

3. Anthrax by Injection

Injection anthrax has been detected recently, especially in Europe. This new type of anthrax is transmitted to humans by injection of anthrax spores with illegal drugs such as heroin. The first symptoms that occur after infection are:

• Redness and swelling at the injection site,
• Shock,
• Multiple organ failure,

4. Cutaneous Anthrax

Cutaneous anthrax is both the most common mode of transmission and the mildest form of the disease. It is the most common type of anthrax. 95% of total cases are caused by cutaneous anthrax. Anthrax bacteria, transmitted through contact, enter the body through areas where the integrity of the skin is disrupted, such as scratches, cuts, wounds and itching. Symptoms begin to appear immediately from the first days. It initially looks like a small, itchy, blistered wound that resembles an insect bite. Within a few days, it turns into a black, swollen skin wound with a diameter of 6-9 cm. While treatment for cutaneous anthrax usually yields successful results, it rarely leads to fatal results.

Why is Anthrax Dangerous?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, here are some reasons why anthrax is an effective agent that can be used in a biological attack:

• It is easily found in nature.
• It can be produced in a laboratory environment.
• It can survive for a long time despite difficult living conditions.
• It can be easily released unobtrusively, in powder or spray form.
• It may not be noticed by the senses of taste, smell or sight.

How Is Anthrax Diagnosed?

During the examination by the specialist physician, your symptoms and the possibility of exposure to anthrax are evaluated. Various tests and analyzes are performed on a patient showing symptoms of anthrax:

• Skin Test:A fluid sample or a small tissue sample (biopsy) is taken from the wound on the skin. It is evaluated whether anthrax bacteria are found in the samples taken.
• Blood and Stool Analysis:Anthrax bacteria are searched in the samples taken.
• Computed Tomography (CT) Scan:In cases of suspected pulmonary anthrax, a CT scan helps diagnose the disease.
• Examination of Cerebrospinal Fluid (Lumbar Puncture):Samples taken from the spinal canal with the help of a syringe are investigated for the presence of anthrax-induced meningitis.

Anthrax Treatment

Anthrax is a treatable disease. As with all diseases, early diagnosis of anthrax increases the effectiveness of treatment and helps the patient regain his health. The treatment for anthrax depends on the severity of the disease, how the patient is infected, the presence of chronic diseases, age, and general health condition.

Following the terrorist attacks in America in 2001, letters and envelopes containing anthrax bacterial spores sent to different organizations made many people sick in a short time. Following this biological attack, researchers developed antitoxin drugs against anthrax. Although the developed drugs cannot destroy the anthrax bacteria, they help remove the toxins secreted by the bacteria from the body. A faster recovery was observed in anthrax disease when applied with antibiotic treatment.

Medication alone may not be sufficient to treat cutaneous anthrax. In patients with cutaneous anthrax, infected tissues may need to be removed surgically.

In the treatment of pulmonary anthrax, the most lethal type of anthrax, respiratory support is provided to the patient due to respiratory failure. Medications and antibiotics that tighten blood vessels and increase blood pressure are administered.

Can Anthrax Be Prevented?

You can take some precautions to protect yourself from anthrax:

1. Animals suspected of having anthrax should not be contacted, and meat and dairy products should not be consumed.
2. Animals infected with anthrax should be buried in deep pits.
3. Areas that infected animals may come into contact with should be disinfected.
4. Poorly cooked, raw meat should not be eaten.
5. One should not touch meat with bare hands without taking protective measures, especially when there is a wound on the hands.
6. Anthrax bacteria can survive in soil for years. To prevent contamination, animals should be vaccinated, especially in areas where anthrax is common.
7. The most effective precaution against anthrax is vaccination. Anthrax vaccine, which does not contain live bacteria, does not cause infection. It is known to protect against both skin and lung anthrax. There is no requirement to administer a general anthrax vaccine. However, vaccination is the most important protection, especially for people who are likely to come into contact with anthrax bacteria.

Symptoms of anthrax disease often appear suddenly and can cause serious consequences. If you have symptoms after possible exposure to anthrax or suspect exposure, seek emergency care immediately.