the anthrax like biological weapon

What biological weapon is the ANTHRAX?

Since the Anthrax is considered a potentially used agent in the biological war, the Center of Infectious Diseases of Atlanta, the United States; it has indicated the vaccination of all the personal assets of the fighting forceses.

What is the Anthrax?

Anthracis is an acute infectious disease caused by a training bacterium of esporos called Bacillus. It affects to the wild animals and in smaller degree domestic animals: herbívoros camels, antelopes, lamb, goat, and other animals, but it happens single in the man if this taking contact with ill animals or infected animal weave.

How is frequently the disease?

The Anthrax is a disease that happens frequently in areas agrícolo-cattle infecting the animals, in different parts from the world like Sud America, Central America, Asia, Europe and Africa. It affects workers who have contact with infected animals. It is rare in the United States.

How transmits the Anthrax?

One appears of 3 forms: cutaneous, by inhalation and gastrointestinal. The esporos estan widely spread in the ground, and can arrive at the man by infected animal manipulation, its weaves and by insufficiently cooked consumption of infected animal meat.

The transmission is not frequent person to person. Nevertheless he is not advisable to visit patient with Anthrax by inhalation.

Which are the symptoms of the ANTHRAX?

The symptoms of the disease appear within the 7 days of the contact and vary according to the type of disease. Thus:

Cutaneous disease: it represents more of 90% of the cases. The bacterium penetrates through the damaged skin, by manipulation of wood, leathers and hairs of infected animals. The infection of the skin begins with a similar injury to the puncture of an insect, that soon ulcer and is to a black necrosada zone of aproximadamnte 1-3 cm. Can appear inflammation of the lymphatic ganglia next to the injury. 20% of this affection nontreated medically, lead to the death.

Disease inhalant: In a beginning it can appear with chills, that at days it ends at respiratoiros upheavals and shock. He is generally fatal.

Gastrointestinal disease: It can happen by consumption of contaminated meat and begins with you feel nauseous, abdominal lack of appetite, vomits, fever and pains, vomits with blood and severe diarrea. In a 20-25% of the cases the death takes place.

How prepares the disease?

A vaccine of veterinary use exists, that cannot be used in the people. But also a vaccine for human use is available that shows a security of 93%.

Who must be vaccinated?

The vaccination for the following groups has been recommended:

· People who work directly with the bacterium in the laboratory.
· People who work with animals that can be infected (ej. Veterinarians) and all that that is exposed to the esporos.
· Personal military man who develops tasks of high risk of being in contact with the enemy with the microorganism or its esporos. (Biological War)

The pregnant women can be vaccinated, if it is only absolutely necessary.

The vaccine does not produce frequent indirect effect.

How is diagnosed?

It is diagnosed in the laboratory by isolation of the bacterium from blood, skin or respiratory secretions. Also by measurement of specific antibodies in blood of suspicious people of I infect.

How can be treated the Anthrax?

Antibiotics exist that the doctor can indicate and are very effective if the disease is taken in time.

Source: Center of Enfermedades Infecciosas (CDC), Atlanta, the USA. 2001
Translation: Dra. Graciela B. Mengoni. Food microbiologist
LISTER laboratory
TEFAX: 0221-422-1043
39 N° 150 - the Silver
to gmengoni@netverck.com.ar

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