AGENT FACTORS
- Presence of Bacillus anthracis
- General characteristics of B.
anthracis
- Mode of transmission
- anthrax sepsis -> DEATH
Incubation period
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
- Prevalence among domestic herbivores
(including cattle, sheep, horses and goats) and
wild herbivores.
- Carcasses of infected animals provide
additional potential foci of contamination
HOST FACTORS
- Agricultural cases which result most often
from contact with animals that have anthrax
(e.g. during skinning, butchering or dissecting),
from bites of contaminated or infected flies and
from consumption of contaminated meat
- Industrial cases which are associated with
exposure to contaminated hides, goat hair, wool
or bones
PRE PATHOGENESIS
BEFORE INFECTION
- Immunize high-risk persons with cell free
vaccine prepared from a culture filtrate containing
the protection against antigen.
- Educate employees handling potentially
contaminated articles about modes of anthrax
transmission, care of skin abrasions and personal
cleanliness.
- Control dusts and properly ventilates in
hazardous industries especially those that handle
raw animal materials.
- Promptly immunize and annually re-immunize
all animals at risk.
CUTANEOUS ANTHRAX
- Small pimple or macule appears 2-3 days after
the entrance of microorganism
Without antibiotic treatment ->
- On 4th day a ring of vesicles develops around the
papule. Vesicular fluid may exude. complications : anthrax meningitis and
- Mark edema starts to develop. Unless there is
secondary infection, there is no pus and the lesion is not
painful, although painful lymph adenitis may occur in the
inguinal area.
- On the 5th to 7th day, the original papules ulcerate
to form the characteristic eschar.
- Clinical symptoms maybe severe if the lesion is
located in the face, neck or chest.
With antibiotic treatment-> neutralization
- In more severe forms, clinical findings are high
fever, toxaemia, regional painful lymphadenopathy and of anthrax toxin
extensive edema. Shock and death may also ensue.
INHALATION ANTHRAX
- Presenting symptoms resemble those of severe
viral respiratory diseases.
- After one to three days of acute phase, increasing
fever dyspnea, stridor, hypoxia and hypotension occur
usually leading to death within 24 hours.
GASTROINTESTINAL ANTHRAX
- Primary infection is initiated in the intestines
where the lesions are formed accompanied by
hemorrhagic lymphadenitis.
- Symptoms include fever, nausea and vomiting,
abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea and sometimes rapidly
developing ascitis.
PATHOGENESIS
INFECTION PROGRESS TERMINAL PROGRESS
- Parenteral Penicillin G – 2 million units every - Anthrax spores can survive for long periods of
six hours, until edema subsides with subsequent time in the environment after release. Methods for
administration of oral penicillin to complete seven to cleaning anthrax-contaminated sites commonly use
ten-day-course. oxidizing agents such as peroxides, and ethylene oxide
- Patients who are sensitive to penicillin can be because these agents slowly destroy bacterial spores.
treated with erythromycin, tetracycline, or
chloramphenicol.
- The body of the patient should be put in strict
quarantine. Full isolation of the body is important to
prevent possible contamination of others. Protective,
impermeable clothing and equipment such as rubber
gloves, rubber apron, and rubber boots with no
perforations should be used when handling the body.