The scientist Robert Koch studied Bacillus anthracis, the bacterium that causes anthrax.Īnthrax is spread by contact with the bacterium's spores, which often appear in infectious animal products. Before that anthrax had been described only through historical accounts. Īccording to the Centers for Disease Control the first clinical descriptions of cutaneous anthrax were given by Maret in 1752 and Fournier in 1769. The injection form presents with fever and an abscess at the site of drug injection. The intestinal form presents with diarrhea, which may contain blood, abdominal pains, nausea and vomiting. The inhalation form presents with fever, chest pain and shortness of breath. The skin form presents with a small blister with surrounding swelling that often turns into a painless ulcer with a black center. Symptom onset occurs between one day and more than two months after the infection is contracted. It can occur in four forms: skin, lungs, intestinal and injection. Working with animals, travelers, postal workers, military personnel īased on antibodies or toxin in the blood, microbial culture Īnthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis.

Intestinal form: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain Inhalational form: fever, chest pain, shortness of breath

Skin form: small blister with surrounding swelling

A skin lesion with black eschar characteristic of anthrax

What substance kills thrax