Wanted : Anthrax
Aliases : Bacillus anthracis
Mug Shot and other Pictures
Anthrax in its Spore form
Anthrax in its Growing working form
Anthrax in its Un-Colored form
Attacks
Where it attacks
It starts it attacks in the lymph nodes, but multiplies and infects the whole body
Different types of infections
Anthrax infections happens when people breathe in spores, eat food or drink water that is contaminated with spores, or get spores in a cut or scrape in the skin, or injects the anthrax usually through heroin
How it is transmitted
Its gets to you working with infected animals, or infected animal products like hides or under-cooked/raw meats. In some rare cases in transmits from person to person by skin lesions or it has been seen in Europe thought heroin injections
Victims
What organisms it usually infects
It rarely infects humans, mainly animals, but in some other countries it is more common for example
- Central and South America
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Central and southwestern Asia
- Southern and eastern Europe
- The Caribbean
What types of people get exposed
Some chances that increase exposition chances are working jobs such as
- Veterinarians
- Laboratory professionals
- Livestock producers
- People who handle animal products
- Mail handlers, military personnel, and response workers who may be exposed during a bioterror event involving anthrax spores
Crimes
Cutaneous anthrax
- A group of small blisters or bumps that may itch
- A painless skin sore (ulcer) with a black center that appears after the small blisters or bumps
- Most often the sore will be on the face, neck, arms, or hands
- Swelling can occur around the sore
Inhalation anthrax
- Fever and chills
- Chest discomfort
- Shortness of breath
- Confusion or dizziness
- Cough
- Nausea, vomiting, or stomach pains
- Headache
- Sweats (often drenching)
- Extreme tiredness
- Body aches
Gastrointestinal anthrax
- Fever and chills
- Swelling of neck or neck glands
- Sore throat
- Painful swallowing
- Hoarseness
- Nausea and vomiting, especially bloody vomiting
- Diarrhea or bloody diarrhea
- Headache
- Flushing (red face) and red eyes
- Stomach pain
- Fainting
- Swelling of abdomen (stomach)
Injection anthrax
- Fever and chills
- A group of small blisters or bumps that may itch, appearing where the drug was injected
- A painless skin sore with a black center that appears after the blisters or bumps
- Swelling around the sore
- Abscesses deep under the skin or in the muscle where the drug was injected
- Keep in mind
- Symptoms are similar to those of cutaneous anthrax, but injection anthrax can spread throughout the body faster and be harder to recognize and treat than cutaneous anthrax.
- Skin and injection site infections associated with injection drug use are common and do not necessarily mean the person has anthrax.
Hide Out
Where in the body it hides
It likes to hide in the lymph nodes where it then spreads thought out the rest of the body
Where in the world it can be found most commonly
- Central and South America
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Central and southwestern Asia
- Southern and eastern Europe
- The Caribbean
Weapons
Mortality Rates
It has a mortality rate different for each infection
- 20 % for Cutaneous Anthrax without treatment
- 25-75 % for gastrointestinal anthrax
- 80 % for inhalation anthrax
- 30 % for injection anthrax
Ways to defend yourself from contracting it
Be careful when working with infected animals or animal products, for example under cooked meat or hides from infected animals. Travel with care when going to more infected countries
Prevention
Top prevention methods are to vaccinate cattle or animals with past infections
Treatments
Antibiotics are the best method from stopping the spread of anthrax of you catch it