| The lethal outbreak of ANTHRAX after 2001 terrorist | | | | Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed (or AVA) is the |
| attacks in America shook the whole world, which | | | | prescribed vaccine for anthrax. |
| was labeled by the Bush administration as a | | | | Terrorist as a weapon to annihilate people often uses |
| "bio-terrorist attack." | | | | this bacterial disease. They spread this disease |
| To close 100 anthrax cases were found in United | | | | effectively by means of mail delivery system. Cross- |
| States after the terrorist attack on World Trade | | | | contamination of mail also takes place during the |
| Center. | | | | processing, sorting, and delivery of mail when an |
| But what is Anthrax all about? Well it's an acute | | | | envelope comes in contact with an envelope, piece |
| infectious disease caused by the spore-forming | | | | of equipment like an electronic sorting machine or |
| bacterium Bacillus anthracis. It is normally found in wild | | | | other surface that is contaminated with Bacillus |
| and domestic animals like cattle, sheep, goats, camels | | | | anthracis spores. |
| and other herbivores. But it can also occur in humans | | | | This can be prevented by taking some important |
| when they are exposed to infected animals or their | | | | precautions like: |
| tissues. | | | | - Not opening suspicious mail |
| Anthrax can be infected in humans in any of the | | | | - Keep mail away from your face when opening it |
| three forms given below. | | | | - Not blowing or sniffing mail or mail contents |
| Firstly through Skin: | | | | - Avoiding vigorous handling of mail, such as tearing |
| About 95% of the anthrax infections are through | | | | or shredding |
| skin. The bacterium enters when there is cut or | | | | - Washing hands after handling the mail |
| scratch on the skin. This could happen to people | | | | - Discarding envelopes after opening mail. Thus the |
| whose job includes usage of unhygienic wool, hides | | | | anthrax can be easily tackled by tacking efficient |
| or leather of infected animals. | | | | precautions and by taking proper vaccinations and |
| The people suffering from this kind of infection | | | | treatment at proper time. |
| usually get a raised itchy bump, which looks like an | | | | Most (about 95%) anthrax infections occur when the |
| insect bite, but no sooner this develops into a vesicle | | | | bacterium enters a cut or abrasion on the skin, such |
| and then a simple boil. | | | | as when handling contaminated wool, hides, leather or |
| Usually nearly one-fifth untreated cases of skin | | | | hair products (especially goat hair) of infected animals. |
| anthrax also known as cutaneous anthrax will end up | | | | Skin infection begins as a raised itchy bump that |
| in death. | | | | resembles an insect bite but within 1-2 days develops |
| Secondly through breathing: | | | | into a vesicle and then a painless ulcer, usually 1-3 cm |
| In this kind of anthrax, early symptoms may bear a | | | | in diameter, with a characteristic black necrotic |
| resemblance to a common cold, but within few days | | | | (dying) area in the center. Lymph glands in the |
| result in severe breathing problems. This kind of | | | | adjacent area may swell. About 20% of untreated |
| anthrax is usually deadly. | | | | cases of cutaneous anthrax will result in death. |
| Thirdly through Intestine: | | | | Deaths are rare with appropriate antimicrobial |
| The intestinal form of anthrax occurs mainly due to | | | | therapy.inhalation: Initial symptoms may resemble a |
| the consumption of contaminated meat. The | | | | common cold. After several days, the symptoms |
| symptoms of this are an acute swelling of the | | | | may progress to severe breathing problems and |
| intestinal area, nausea, loss of appetite, fever, | | | | shock. inhalation anthrax is usually fatal. |
| vomiting with blood and severe diarrhea followed by | | | | Intestinal: The intestinal disease form of anthrax may |
| abdominal pain. Intestinal anthrax leads to a death of | | | | follow the consumption of contaminated meat and is |
| 25%-60% cases. | | | | characterized by an acute inflammation of the |
| But there's nothing to worry about it a lot. Anthrax is | | | | intestinal tract. Initial signs of nausea, loss of appetite, |
| not a contagious disease and does not spread from | | | | vomiting, fever are followed by abdominal pain, |
| one person to another. The vaccines developed for | | | | vomiting of blood, and severe diarrhea. Intestinal |
| anthrax is found to be 93% protective in fighting | | | | anthrax results in death in 25% to 60% of cases. |
| against anthrax. | | | | |