Anthrax - Acute and Highly Contagious Disease

Anthrax - Acute and Highly Contagious Disease

Anthrax is an acute and highly contagious disease that caused deadly bacterium Bacillus anthracis in its most malignant. Anthrax means "coal" in Greek, and the term is used because the victim's skin will turn black. Anthrax most commonly affects wild herbivore, herbivores, and that has been tamed. This disease is zoonotic which means it can be transmitted from animals to humans, but can not be transmitted between human beings.

Virulence factors

Virulence factors of this disease is caused by B. anthracis is derived from the capsule and the toxin. Capsules of B. anthracis consists of poly D-glutamic acid which is harmless (non toxic) for himself. This capsule is produced by the plasmid pX02 and serves to protect cells from phagocytosis and lysis. The toxin produced by B. anthracis pX01 plasmid derived from a model that has AB (activating and bindings). Toxins from B. anthracis consists of three types, namely protective antigen (PA) derived from the capsule poly D-glutamic acid, edema factor (EF) and lethal factor (LF).  These three toxins are not toxic individually, but can be toxic and even lethal if there are two or more. PA and LF toxin activity will result in a lethal, EF and PA will result in edema disease (another name for the disease anthrax), EF and LF toxins repress each other (inactive), whereas if there is a third toxin (PA, LF, and EF) , it could lead to edema, necrosis and ultimately lead to death (lethal). 

 

When anthrax spores enter the body and then was spread in the bloodstream, will create a defense mechanism of the white blood cells, but it is only temporary.  After the spores from accumulating in the blood vessels of the lymphatic system, then the infection will begin to happen. The venom of the toxin produced by vegetative cells would result in internal bleeding (internal bleeding) causing damage to several major organs and even tissues. If the poison of the toxin has spread, then the antibiotic would not be useful any longer.

Transmission and symptoms

Humans can become infected when in contact with animals affected by anthrax, can be through flesh, bone, skin, and dirt. Even so, until now no human cases contracted through touch or contact with people who suffer from anthrax

Anthrax infections are rare but the same does not apply to herbivores, herbivores such as cattle, goats, camels, and antelopes. Anthrax can be found all over the world. The disease is more common in developing countries or countries without public health programs for animal diseases. Some areas in the world like (South and Central America, Southern and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, Caribbean and Middle East) report more anthrax incidents to the animals than humans.

 

Anthrax commonly transmitted to humans due to exposure to sick animals or the farm such as skin and meat, or eat the meat of animals infected with anthrax. In addition, transmission can also occur when a person inhaling the spores of a sick animal products such as skin or hair is dried. Workers who are infected to dead animals and animal products from countries where anthrax is common can be infected with B. anthracis, and anthrax in farm wild can be found in the United States. Although many workers are often contracted to the amount of anthrax spores that many, most do not show symptoms.

Transmittal

Anthrax can enter the human body through the intestines, lungs (inhalation), or skin (through injury). Anthrax can not be spread through human to human.

Bacteria B. anthracis include gram-positive bacteria, shaped bacillus, and can form spores. Endospores formed by B. anthracis will survive until a few years in the ground. In the animal body that is currently the host, the spores will  be vegatatif cells and will continue to divide in the body. After that, the vegetative cell will enter into the bloodstream of their host. The process of entry of anthrax spores can be in three ways, namely:

1. inhaled anthrax, in which anthrax spores inhaled and get into the respiratory tract.

2. cutaneous anthrax, in which anthrax spores enter through broken skin.

3. Gastrointestinal anthrax, which consumed the meat of animals that are not cooked properly, so it is still contain spores and inedible.

Symptoms

Some of the symptoms of gastrointestinal anthrax is a type of nausea, dizziness, vomiting, no appetite, increased body temperature, vomiting, dark brown or red, black bowel movements, abdominal pain is very great (twisting). Meanwhile, anthrax symptoms of skin type is small, painful red boils. Then the lesion had enlarged, become ulcers, cracked and become a wound. Surrounding tissue to swell, and itchy lesions but rather feel pain. This type of skin occurs after the meat is exposed to anthrax . Meat exposed to anthrax has the following characteristics: black, slimy, and smelly.

Handling

In general, treatment for anthrax disease can be done by administering antibiotics, usually penicillin, which will stop the growth and toxin production. Provision of antitoxin will prevent the binding of toxin to the cell. additional therapies, such as sedation .  However, at the level of the toxin has spread in the blood vessels and has been attached to the network then the toxin can not be neutralized with any antibiotics.

Types

There are four types of anthrax that is:

* Skin anthrax.

* Anthrax in the digestive tract.

* Anthrax in the lung.

* Anthrax meningitis.

Anthrax - Acute and Highly Contagious Disease

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