2. T. Brokaw, a 74 year old sheep and cattle
farmer.
Went to see his physician when what he
believed to be a spider bite on his hand
became larger and developed into a black
ulcer.
Wound samples were taken and cultured.
Results showed a gram positive bacillus
Grew well on all usual media except CNA or
PEA
Gamma-hemolytic on SBA
Catalase Postive
5. Aerobic
Non-motile
Catalase Positive
Large gram-positive
Endospore
Medusa-Head, gamma-hemolytic on SBA
Recovered from blood, wound, CSF, or lymph
nodes
6. Must be reported
◦ LRN, Laboratory Response Network
Can measure antibodies or toxins in the
blood
◦ ELISA
◦ Evidence of four-fold rise in antibodies to
protective antigen
7. Most often seen with cows, sheep, and goats.
◦ “Wool-sorter’s
Spores in the soil
3 types
◦ Cutaneous
◦ Pulmonary
◦ Gastrointestinal
Severity and death usually due to fulminant
septicemia
8. Cutaneous
◦ Most common, though still rare in the US
◦ 1-7 days after exposure
◦ 20% of patients die without treatment
◦ Injection-associated with heroin users in northern
europe.
◦ Black eschar, usually painless
http://bepast.org/dataman.pl?c=flib&dir=docs/photos/anthra
x/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthrax rmoist01.tripod.com
9. http://wmdjunction.com/110822_fbi_anthrax.htm
Pulmonary(Inhalation)
◦ Most deadly
◦ “White powder”
◦ A week to 2 months after exposure
◦ Only 10-15% survive without treatment
◦ 55% survive with aggressive treatment
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthrax
http://science.howstuffworks.com/anthrax2.htm
10. Gastrointestinal
◦ 1-7 days after exposure
◦ More than half of patients with this type die without
treatment, 60% survive with it.
◦ Was endemic in Lebanon 1960s
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/8/7/02-0062-f3.htm
http://science.howstuffworks.com/anthrax2.htm
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/9/5/02-0537-f2.htm
11. Polypeptide capsule
◦ antiphagocytic
Anthrax toxins
◦ Protective antigen
Actually used to make vaccines
◦ Edema factor
Edema
◦ Lethal factor
Tissue necrosis
http://arshad-zist.blogfa.com/author-arshad-zist.aspx
12. Antibiotics such as penicillin, cephalosporin,
ciprofloxacin
Antitoxin
AVA, Anthrax Vaccine Absorbed, BioThrax
◦ Not for general public, only at risk occupations
◦ Does not contain the actual bacteria
Culture filtrates of nonencapsulated V770-NP1-R
mutant with adjuvant
◦ Shown to mainly protect against cutaneous and
inhalation anthrax
13. Easily found in nature
Can be produced in Lab
Last for decades in environment
Tier 1 agent
◦ Biological agent
◦ Toxins
◦ Mass casualties
Can be released “quietly”
◦ Powders, sprays, food, water
http://www.cdc.gov/anthrax/bioterrorism/threat.ht
ml
http://www.cdc.gov/anthrax/bioterrorism/threat.html
14. Basics. (2013, August 29). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved April
30, 2014, from http://www.cdc.gov/anthrax/basics/index.html
Bacillus anthracis and anthrax. (n.d.). Bacillus anthracis and anthrax. Retrieved April 30,
2014, from http://textbookofbacteriology.net/Anthrax.html
Guidance on anthrax: frequently asked questions. (n.d.). WHO. Retrieved April 30, 2014,
from http://www.who.int/csr/disease/Anthrax/anthraxfaq/en/
Mahon, C. R. (2011). Textbook of diagnostic microbiology (4th ed.). Maryland Heights,
Mo.: Saunders/Elsevier.
