Anthraxs

Anthraxs Introduction-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1 Types of B. Anthracis--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2-6 Cutaneous Anthrax ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2-3 Gastrointestinal Anthrax ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3-4 Inhalation Anthrax -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4-5 Anthrax Sepsis and Shock-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------5-6 Treatment----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------6-7 Anthrax Today----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7 Bioterroism-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7 Conclusions---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------8 References-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------8 Introduction Bacillus anthracis are aerobic or facultative anaerobic Gram-positive, non-motile rods measuring 1.0 [mu]m wide by 3.0-5.0 [mu]m long. (5)Under adverse conditions, B. anthracis form highly resistant endospores .These spores are found in soil at sites where infected animals previously died. Interest in the pathogenesis, immunity, and vaccine development for anthrax was heightened by the deliberate contamination of mail with B. anthracis spores soon after the September 11 attacks. At that time, the only US-licensed human vaccine (anthrax vaccine adsorbed, or AVA) was not available because the manufacturer, BioPort Corp., had not received FDA certification of its new manufacturing process. (5) Although Pasteur had already demonstrated protection of sheep by injection of heat-attenuated B. anthracis cultures in 1881, our current knowledge of immunity to anthrax in humans remains limited.(5) Types of B. Anthracis Cutaneous Anthrax Cutaneous anthrax is the most common form of anthrax infection, accounting for 90% to 95% of the cases worldwide and all of the prior cases reported in the United States. Many of the exposures have been occupational and resulted from the handling of infected animals or laboratory materials. (2) Spores are introduced through breaks in the anthrax, patients, gastrointestinal, after, spores, days, been, treatment, systemic, inhalation, cases, tract, primary, anthracis, vaccine, form, exposure, dissemination, death, because, antibiotics, edema, clinical, therapy, symptoms, sverdlovsk, intravenous, cutaneous, available, associated, although, skin, should, series, respiratory, infection