Learning Activity 2.

(15 points)

⚫ Below is a fact sheet about Anthrax. Identify the determinants of disease according to
the agent (causative agent) and the factors associated with host and environment
(Epidemiological triad) that interrelate to produce the disease Anthrax.

Fact Sheet on Anthrax

What is anthrax?
Anthrax is a disease caused by the spore-forming bacteria Bacillus anthracis. The name of the bacteria derives from the
Greek word for coal, because of the ulcers with dark centres that develop on the skin of affected people.

Anthrax occurs on all the continents and commonly causes high mortality, primarily in domestic and wild herbivores as well
as most mammals and several bird species.

It is a serious zoonosis, meaning that it can be transmitted from animals to humans.

The bacteria produce extremely potent toxins, which are responsible for the ill effects. Anthrax spores are extremely
resistant can survive in the environment for decades, making the control or eradication of the disease very difficult.

Anthrax is an OIE-listed disease and must be reported to the OIE as indicated in its Terrestrial Animal Health Code

Transmission and spread

Anthrax does typically not spread from animal to animal nor from person to person.

The bacteria produce spores on contact with oxygen. These spores are extremely resistant and survive for years in soil, or
on wool or hair of infected animals. Then if ingested or inhaled by an animal, or on entering through cuts in the skin, they
can germinate and cause disease. Because the blood of infected animals sometimes fails to clot and may leak from body
orifices, insects can spread the bacteria to other animals.

Carnivores and humans can become infected by eating meat from an infected animal. But typically, animals
become infected by ingesting spores which are in the soil or in feed.

Public health risk

More than 95% of human anthrax cases take the cutaneous form and result from handling infected carcasses or hides, hair,
meat or bones from such carcasses.

In humans, anthrax manifests itself in three distinct patterns (cutaneous, gastrointestinal and inhalational). The most
common is a skin infection, where people become infected handling animals or animal products that contain spores. This
can happen to veterinarians, agricultural workers, livestock producers or butchers dealing with sick animals, or when
infection has been spread by wool or hides.

Bacillus anthracis is not invasive and requires a lesion to infect. The spores enter the body through cuts or scratches in the
skin and cause a local infection that if not controlled may spread throughout the body. The digestive form occurs when the
spores are eaten. Tragically people who lose their animals may also lose their lives trying to salvage something and
consuming the meat from an animal that died. Potentially the most deadly form is by inhalation. This has been called ‘wool
sorters disease’ since spores on hides or hair could be inhaled. While inhalation anthrax is rare in nature, anthrax spores
have been developed and used as a biological weapon. Clearly, preventing the disease in animals will protect human public
health.

Clinical signs
Peracute, acute, subacute and, rarely, chronic forms of the disease are reported. Ante-mortem clinical signs may be virtually
absent in peracute and acute forms of the disease. Meanwhile, the only sign in chronic form may be enlarged lymph glands.

Ruminant animals are often found dead with no indication that they had been ill. In this acute form, there may be high
fever, muscle tremors and difficult breathing seen shortly before the animal collapses and dies. Unclotted blood may exude
from body openings and the body may not stiffen after death. Subacute form may be accompanied by progressive fever,
depression, inappetence, weakness, prostration and death.
 In horses or sometimes in ruminants there may be digestive upsets and colic, fever, depression and sometimes swelling.
These symptoms may last for up to four days before death results.

In carnivores when the animal feeds on an infected source there may be an intestinal form of the disease with fever and
cramps from which animals sometimes recover.

Diagnostic
Anthrax is diagnosed by examining blood (or other tissues) for the presence of the bacteria. Samples must be collected
carefully to avoid contamination of the environment and to prevent human exposure to the bacteria. Blood samples from
relatively fresh carcasses will contain large numbers of B. anthracis, which can be seen under a microscope, cultured and
isolated in a laboratory, or detected by rapid tests, e.g. polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Prevention and control

In addition to antibiotic therapy and immunisation, specific control procedures are necessary to contain the disease and
prevent its spread. In particular:

● the proper disposal of dead animals is critical;

● the carcass should not be opened, since exposure to oxygen will allow the bacteria to form spores

● premises are to be quarantined until all susceptible animals are vaccinated and all carcasses disposed of preferably by
incineration or alternatively by deep burial with quick lime.
● cleaning and disinfection are important as is control of insects and rodents.

Vaccination in endemic areas is very important.. Although vaccination will prevent outbreaks, Veterinary Services sometimes
fail to vaccinate when the disease has not appeared for several years. But because the spores survive for such lengthy
periods, the risk is always present.

Though anthrax is quite susceptible to antibiotic therapy, the clinical course is often so rapid that there may not be the
opportunity to treat affected animals. Early detection of outbreaks, quarantine of affected premises, destruction of diseased
animals and fomites, and implementation of appropriate sanitary procedures at abattoirs and dairy factories will ensure the
safety of products of animal origin intended for human consumption.

Geographical distribution
Anthrax is found all over the world on all continents except Antarctica.

There are endemic areas with more frequent outbreaks, other areas are subject to sporadic outbreaks in response to
unusual weather patterns which can cause spores that were dormant in the soil to come to the surface where they are
ingested by ruminants, germinate and cause illnes

Source: OIE., 2020

1. Agent
-Anthrax is caused by a spore-forming bacteria Bacillus anthracis that commonly
causes high mortality.The bacteria produce extremely potent toxins, which are
responsible for the ill effects. Anthrax spores are extremely resistant and can survive
in the environment for decades, making the control or eradication of the disease very
difficult. It is a serious zoonosis, meaning that it can be transmitted from animals to
humans. Peracute, acute, subacute and, rarely, chronic forms of the disease are
reported. Ante-mortem clinical signs may be virtually absent in peracute and acute
 forms of the disease. Meanwhile, the only sign in chronic form may be enlarged
lymph glands

2. Host
-Domestic and wild herbivores and carnivores as well as most mammals and several
bird species. More than 95% of human anthrax cases take the cutaneous form and
result from handling infected carcasses or hides, hair, meat or bones from such
carcasses. Carnivores and humans can become infected by eating meat from an
infected animal. But typically, animals become infected by ingesting spores which
are in the soil or in feed.

3. Environment

-Anthrax is found all over the world on all continents except Antarctica. The bacteria
produce spores on contact with oxygen. These spores are extremely resistant and
survive for years in soil, or on wool or hair of infected animals. Then if ingested or
inhaled by an animal, or on entering through cuts in the skin, they can germinate and
cause disease. Because the blood of infected animals sometimes fails to clot and
may leak from body orifices, insects can spread the bacteria to other animals. There
are endemic areas with more frequent outbreaks, other areas are subject to sporadic
outbreaks in response to unusual weather patterns which can cause spores that
were dormant in the soil to come to the surface where they are ingested by
ruminants, germinate and cause illness. Specific control procedures are necessary to
contain the disease and prevent its spread. Though anthrax is quite susceptible to
antibiotic therapy, the clinical course is often so rapid that there may not be the
opportunity to treat affected animals. Early detection of outbreaks, quarantine of
affected premises, destruction of diseased animals and fomites, and implementation
of appropriate sanitary procedures at abattoirs and dairy factories will ensure the
safety of products of animal origin intended for human consumption.