By: Brittany Horan Large, aerobic, gram-positive, non- motile, encapsulated, chain forming, rod shaped that form oval spores. It is a bacterium of the genus Bacillus. About 1-9 micrometers in size.

The acute infectious disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium, Bacillus anthracis is Anthrax.

Anthrax is found worldwide, but is most common in areas where people raise livestock, and where public health programs are located. Materials contaminated with anthrax spores can reach any country in the world

Workers who are exposed to dead animals, and animal products from countries where anthrax is common can become infected.

Anthrax can enter the human body through: Lungs (Inhalation) Intestines (Ingestion) Skin ( Cutaneous)

A person breathes in organisms and develops a severe respiratory infection. The person will have a cold or flu-like symptoms for several days followed by a severe respiratory collapse. It can rarely be treated, and is highly fatal. Inhalation anthrax widens the mediastinal

Most often caused by eating anthrax- infected meat. Causes gastrointestinal difficulty, vomiting of blood, severe diarrhea, acute inflammation of the intestinal tract, and loss of appetite. Ingestion process

On the skin anthrax shows up as a boil-like skin lesion that eventually forms an ulcer with a black center. Cutaneous anthrax infections normally do not cause pain. It is the least fatal form of anthrax. Anthrax skin lesion

Bacillus anthracis bacteria naturally produce endospores which rest in the soil and can survive for decades. Bacillus Anthracis may be inoculated into a wound, inhaled, or ingested. It has at least 89 known strains. The strains are different in presence and activity of various genes, determining their virulence and production of antigens and toxins.

Anthrax is diagnosed by isolating Bacillus Anthracis from the blood, skin lesions, respiratory secretions, or by measuring specific antibodies in the blood of people with suspected cases. Patients with symptoms compatible with anthrax, should confirm the diagnosis by obtaining the appropriate laboratory specimens based on the clinical form of anthrax suspected.

To treat anthrax, antibiotics should be taken. Such as penicillin, and others which are active against Gram-positive bacteria. Penicillin

In conclusion, Bacillus Anthracis is a bacterium which causes the disease anthrax, which is a serious disease that can be fatal. It can enter the body in three different forms. The people that are mostly at risk are people who are in contact with infected animals.