Inhalation anthrax
Alternative names:
anthrax - lung; pulmonary anthrax
Definition:
A disease that affects mostly farm animals; humans acquire
it through inhaling spores
when in direct contact with infected animals.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors:
Anthrax is caused by
the bacterium Bacillus anthracis
and is a disease of sheep, cattle, horses, goats, and swine.
Human infection is rare, but it is an occupational disease
of farm workers, veterinarians, and tannery and wool workers.
The disease has a skin form (cutaneous
anthrax) and a pulmonary (lung) form.
In the pulmonary form, infection is spread by breathing in
spores that germinate
and cause pneumonia.
The pneumonia develops rapidly and leads to progressive respiratory
distress. Death can result in less than 48 hours from this
type of infection. Meningitis
can also develop. The incidence
of inhalation anthrax is very rare.
Update Date: 02/09/00
Updated by: J. Gordon Lambert, MD, Associate Medical Director,
Utah Health Informatics and adam.com
editorial
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