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Overview
What Is Anthrax?
Anthrax is a serious infection caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. People can be exposed when spores enter broken skin, are inhaled, are swallowed in contaminated food, or are introduced through injection. Anthrax is uncommon, but it can be life-threatening without prompt medical treatment.
Symptoms
Anthrax Symptoms
Anthrax symptoms vary according to how the bacteria or spores enter the body. Symptoms may not appear immediately after exposure, so a delay does not rule out infection. The main forms are cutaneous, inhalation, gastrointestinal, and injection-related anthrax.
- Cutaneous anthrax may cause an itchy bump that develops into a painless ulcer with a black center, often with marked swelling.
- Inhalation anthrax may cause fever, chest discomfort, and shortness of breath.
- Gastrointestinal anthrax may cause abdominal pain, vomiting, and bloody diarrhea.
- Injection-related anthrax may cause painful swelling or skin lesions near the injection site.
Seek urgent care
Act quickly after exposure
Sudden breathing difficulty, confusion, collapse, severe swelling, or a suspected exposure to anthrax spores requires emergency medical evaluation. Do not wait for symptoms to become severe before seeking help.
How It Spreads
How Anthrax Spreads
People develop anthrax when spores enter through broken skin, are inhaled, are swallowed in contaminated food, or are introduced by injection. Ordinary casual contact does not usually spread anthrax between people. Exposure is more often linked to contaminated environments, animals, animal products, food, or injected drugs.
| Exposure route | Associated form | Example context |
|---|---|---|
| Broken skin or contact | Cutaneous anthrax | Infected livestock or wildlife, or contaminated animal hides or wool |
| Inhalation | Inhalation anthrax | Breathing in spores from contaminated animal products or a deliberate release |
| Swallowing | Gastrointestinal anthrax | Eating contaminated food, including meat from infected animals |
| Injection | Injection-related anthrax | Use of contaminated injected drugs |
Risk Factors
Anthrax Risk Factors
- Working with livestock or animal hides and wool can increase the chance of contact with anthrax spores.
- Living or working in an area where anthrax occurs in animals or soil is an environmental risk.
- Handling potentially contaminated animal products can lead to cutaneous anthrax.
- Using injected drugs can increase the risk of injection-related anthrax.
- A known occupational or accidental exposure to anthrax spores requires prompt medical and public-health assessment.
Geographic location, occupation, and an accidental exposure are situational risks that may not be fully controllable. Preventable risks include handling suspicious materials without protection or using contaminated injected drugs. Following workplace safety guidance and avoiding unsafe animal products can reduce exposure.
Complications
Anthrax Complications
- Sepsis, a dangerous body-wide response to infection, can occur with severe or systemic anthrax.
- Meningitis can develop when anthrax infection affects the tissues around the brain and spinal cord.
- Severe swelling is especially associated with cutaneous anthrax and may affect nearby tissues.
- Respiratory failure can occur with advanced inhalation anthrax.
- Shock may develop when infection or toxin effects severely disrupt circulation.
- Untreated severe anthrax can lead to death.
Medical urgency
Anthrax can worsen quickly
Early treatment can reduce the risk of serious complications. Worsening breathing problems, confusion, fainting, or signs of shock require emergency care.
Diagnosis
How Anthrax Is Diagnosed
Clinicians assess the type and timing of exposure and examine the skin or other affected areas. They consider anthrax when symptoms fit a possible exposure, especially after contact with animals, animal products, contaminated materials, or injected drugs. Diagnosis is coordinated with specialized laboratories and public-health teams.
- Cultures or molecular tests may examine blood, affected tissue, or other body fluids for evidence of Bacillus anthracis.
- Samples from a skin lesion may be tested when cutaneous anthrax is suspected.
- Chest imaging may help evaluate suspected inhalation anthrax.
- Spinal-fluid testing may be used when meningitis is suspected.
Treatment & Management
Anthrax Treatment and Management
Anthrax requires prompt, clinician-directed treatment, with antibiotics as the main therapy. The choice of antibiotic, route, duration, and whether more than one medicine is used depend on the form and severity of illness and the suspected exposure. Treatment may require hospital care and close monitoring.
- Oral antibiotics may be used for selected cases of limited illness when a clinician considers them appropriate.
- Intravenous antibiotics and hospital care are used for severe, systemic, or rapidly worsening illness.
- Antitoxin therapy may be added in some serious cases in which anthrax toxins are contributing to illness.
- Respiratory support or intensive supportive care may be needed when breathing or other vital functions are affected.
- Preventive antibiotics may be prescribed after a confirmed high-risk exposure, even before symptoms develop.
Treatment safety
Do not self-treat exposure
Do not use leftover antibiotics or delay evaluation after a possible anthrax exposure. Public-health and medical teams decide whether post-exposure treatment or vaccination is needed.
Prevention
Anthrax Prevention
- Avoid contact with sick or unexpectedly dead livestock and wildlife.
- Use appropriate protective equipment and safe handling practices when working with animal products.
- Follow occupational safety guidance in workplaces where animal products, soil, or possible anthrax exposure are concerns.
- Cook meat thoroughly and avoid eating meat from animals that were sick or found dead unexpectedly.
- Never touch, move, or open suspicious powder or packages; report them to emergency services and public-health authorities.
An anthrax vaccine is reserved for certain occupational, military, or public-health situations. People with a confirmed high-risk exposure may receive antibiotics and other preventive care under official medical and public-health guidance.
Outlook and Prognosis
Anthrax Outlook and Prognosis
Anthrax can be cured with appropriate medical treatment, but inhalation, gastrointestinal, injection-related, and untreated systemic disease can be severe or fatal. The outlook is generally better when treatment begins before extensive illness or major complications develop. Prompt evaluation after a possible exposure is therefore important.
- The form of anthrax affects the expected course and risk of complications.
- The amount of exposure and the route by which spores entered the body can affect severity.
- Starting antibiotics promptly is associated with a better chance of recovery.
- Sepsis or meningitis can make the illness more serious and worsen the outlook.
- Access to intensive supportive care can affect recovery during severe illness.
When Should You See a Doctor
When Should You See a Doctor for Possible Anthrax?
- Seek prompt care for a painless black-centered skin sore after possible exposure.
- Seek medical advice for unexplained fever after contact with livestock or animal products.
- Call emergency services for sudden breathing difficulty.
- Seek urgent care for severe abdominal illness after a possible exposure.
- Get emergency help for confusion or fainting.
- Report suspected exposure to anthrax powder without touching or opening the material.
Symptoms
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