Transcript Bacillus Anthracis Power Point

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