Anthrax
- Biological Weapons - discuss the various types of biological weapons and there many ways of being distributed....
- Louis Pasteur - his discoveries are the pasteurization process and ways of preventing silkworm diseases,...
- Germs - amount of physical, including emotional damage that this horrific event caused. Then came the...
- Norman Cantor - all these fatalities, and that perhaps it was a rare form of cattle disease such as...
- Soda Pop - side during warfare. Such a biological weapon that has threatened our country immensely is...
Submitted by birju713 on 06/30/2008 05:21 PM
- Category: Technology
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Anthrax
History
In 1863 C.J. Davaine found anthrax in livestock. He thought that the disease was caused by Bacillus anthracis. Not many believed him though. In 1881 Louis Pasteur created an effective vaccine for anthrax, proving that Bacillus anthracis was the cause of anthrax.
The worst outbreak of anthrax occurred in 1979 when a biolical weapons plant in Russia accidentally released spores, killing 66 people. This then brought up the concern that other countries may be using anthrax as a weapon.
Types of Anthrax
There are three major types of anthrax. All three have an incubation period of around 1-3 days. In that time the first symptoms will occur. As time goes on the symptoms will start to get more severe.
Inhalation Anthrax is the most serious of the three. Inhalation anthrax is obtained when spores are inhaled. It targets the respiratory system, attacking lungs, and making it hard to breathe. The symptoms of this are fever headache and a loss of breathe. Inhalation anthrax is fatal 90% of the time. Antibiotics such as cipparone don't usually help.
There are two lesser forms of this disease. Firt there is cutaneous. Cutaneous Anthrax is acquired when spores of Anthrax go through an opening in the skin. Many times you get this when dealing with wool, and other hides. Usually there will be bumps or rashes on the infected area. Many times there will be a spider like bite mark on the skin. Most of the time this form is not fatal, and can be treated with antibiotics. The other form of anthrax is indigestive. You get it from digesting food items that contain anthrax. Much is not known about this form because of the rarity in which it occurs.
Vaccines
There is a vaccine for anthrax. This vaccine however is getting outdated. As anthrax is being used for biological warfare, it is being mutilated. Also the quantity of anthrax vaccines at the moment is not that...
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