Anthrax – symptoms and treatment of the disease

Proven content

Anthrax is a zoonotic disease characterized by three forms – cutaneous, respiratory and digestive. It is caused by anthrax bacillus (Bacillus anthracis), which has the ability to produce spore forms with the access of oxygen.

A few words about anthrax

Anthrax is a zoonotic disease caused by a bacterium Bacillus anthracis, forming spores. The name of anthrax comes from the Greek language and simply means “charcoal” because it causes black ulcers on the skin. Anthrax is found throughout the continent. The anthrax bacteria produce very strong toxins that are responsible for the symptoms of the disease. Anthrax bacilli produce spore forms.

Spore forms produced by anthrax have exceptional resistance to all disinfectants, acids and bases, ionizing radiation and heating. They can only be eliminated by fire or steam sterilization – at 100 ° C, under high pressure. Spore forms can stay in the soil or in water for several dozen years, while maintaining their ability to become infected. Anthrax bacilli produce a toxin, which is a combination of three specific proteins that are completely harmless separately, but only this combination gives them a lethal power.

Source of anthrax infection are:

1. sick animals and food products of animal origin (milk, meat),
2. blood,
3. skin,
4. wool.

A reservoir, and at the same time a source of anthrax infection, may be the areas where animals died of anthrax. The infection can also be transmitted by insects (ants). The spread of infection among animals is also caused by contaminated bone meal used as feed, or contaminated surface waters.

How is a person infected with anthrax?

Man is infected with anthrax most often by introducing the germ through the skin, which leads to the development of the skin form. Inhaling the dust containing the anthrax germs or their spore forms causes the pulmonary form, while the consumption of contaminated meat and its products leads to the intestinal form. There has been no human-to-human transmission of the infection.

Types of anthrax

1. Cutaneous form of anthrax – the most common (98% of cases). There are two types of this form of anthrax – the so-called malignant pimple (black pimple) and malignant swelling. After the incubation period (from several hours to several days), a lump and pruritus develop at the site of the germ penetration, which, after a few hours, transform into a vesicle with fluid in its center. When it dries or cracks due to trauma, it produces a flat black scab (black pustule) surrounded by a cluster of small blisters that give it a distinctive appearance. The lesion is located on the infiltrated surface, which is hard and pain-free. The lesion is accompanied by inflammation of the lymph nodes and inflammation of the surrounding vessels, characterized by pain and the presence of general symptoms such as fever, chills and general malaise. The second, much rarer type of cutaneous form of anthrax is pernicious edema. In this case, the above-mentioned black pimple does not form, and the lesions appear on the border of the skin and mucous membranes. The swelling is soft, and the skin above it turns a purple hue, with small blisters appearing on it. The course of the disease is much more severe. The cutaneous form of the disease gives a favorable prognosis, unless it is complicated by systemic infection and properly treated.
2. The intestinal form of anthrax occurs when we consume contaminated food products. It is a systemic infection with very high fever, severe abdominal pain and symptoms of acute gastroenteritis such as vomiting and bloody diarrhea. The nesting of the spores in the throat causes severe pain in the throat, accompanied by increased heart rate, enlarged lymph nodes and the formation of ulcers. In rare cases, ascites may develop and the intestinal walls become perforated. Death occurs after a few days of the disease.
3. Pulmonary form of anthrax. It is the most common form of anthrax. Infection occurs through inhalation, inhalation of dust containing live bacteria and their spores. Hundreds of thousands or even millions of spores should be in the air for contamination to occur. When larger spores of anthrax enter the respiratory tract, they remain intact, while small ones easily enter the alveoli. The bacteria that form from spores multiply and secrete a toxin. After a dozen or so hours, the bacteria appear in large numbers in the blood and travel through this route to various internal organs, causing the breakdown of tissues with generalized hemorrhages.

Symptoms of anthrax

The symptoms of anthrax depend on the type of bacteria that has entered the patient’s body. Anthrax most often penetrates the skin and causes the cutaneous form of the disease. Infections occurring through the consumption of contaminated food are much less frequently observed. The anthrax begins rapidly with a high temperature, chills and a strong cough with hemoptysis. Moreover, patients suffer from acute dyspnea and cyanosis. The clinical picture of anthrax is similar to severe pneumonia. The disease is most often fatal.

How to recognize and treat anthrax?

The most easily recognized form of anthrax is cutaneous formbecause after about a day, anthrax sticks can be found in the culture collected from the black pimple. However, the diagnosis of anthrax is largely based on a blood (or other tissue) test to detect the presence of bacteria. Samples for testing should be taken very carefully to avoid environmental contamination and reduce the risk of human exposure to infection. The diagnosis is confirmed by breeding tests or PCR.

The intestinal form is more difficult to diagnose – here it is necessary to test the patient’s vomit, blood and feces. However, the pulmonary form of anthrax should be diagnosed as soon as possible, and X-ray of the lungs is helpful.

In the treatment of anthrax, it is necessary to administer a large amount of antibiotics to the patient.

How to avoid anthrax?

1. You should eat foods that come only from certain sources.

2. Anthrax vaccine – it is also available for humans, although it is not widely used because it does not give complete immunity to anthrax bacilli. Vaccines are most often administered to workers employed with animals. The first effective anthrax vaccine was described and developed by Louis Pasteur in 1881.

3. All facilities should be quarantined until all animals at risk of contamination have been vaccinated and all carcasses disposed of (preferably by incineration or by deep burying and burying with quicklime).

4. Appropriate sanitary procedures in slaughterhouses and dairy plants are important. The safety of animal-derived products that are subsequently eaten by humans must be ensured.

Work is underway on a vaccine against anthrax, which will be suitable for prophylactic use in all people. Anthrax bacilli can be used as a biological weapon (such cases have been recorded in history).