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Anthrax is caused by the bacteria Bacillus anthracis.

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Anthrax was first discovered by Robert Koch in 1875 in Wolsztyn Poland. The suspected infectious agent was a bacterium and was an emergin zoonotic disease that affects cattle. Anthrax is a serious infectious disease caused by a gram positive, rod shaped bacteria known as Bacillus anthracis.

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Figure: yellow box represents soviet military microbiology facility. Black line represents the spread of the disease. Red numbers represent the number of infected individuals who contracted anthrax. This diagram represents the distance of the spread of anthrax from each individuals location in relation to the distance to the microbiology facility.

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Anthrax disease is thought to have originated in Egypt and Mesopotamia causing the 5th plague of Egypt that affected cattle but the first deadly outbreak of anthrax occurred in 1979 in Sverdlovsk, USSR. In 1979 anthrax was released from the soviet military microbiology facility due to improperly placed air filters that allowed for anthrax spores to be released in the air. This caused 96 cases of anthrax, 79 people had gastrointestinal anthrax and 17 of them had cutaneous anthrax. 64 of the 96 people died from GI anthrax.

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The most revealing aspect was to learn how different modes of transmission affect the infection differently. Such as inhalation of anthrax spores is way more fatal than direct contact which may only cause a skin rash. or even gastrointestinal infection from consumption. I find it interesting that the same bacteria can cause different variations of illness either being death or a simple skin rash or upset stomach. I was also intrigued to learn how the spores travel to the alevoli sacs in the lungs to limit oxygen diffusion and repress breathing which ultimately leads to the high fatality rate when anthrax spores are inhaled. I was also surprised to learn about the CDC guidelines regarding the inhalation of anthrax and how the government has now implicated bioterrorism safety protocols due to the 2001 anthrax attacks. I find it interesting how the CDC has a safety plan in place which includes products of dispensing (PODs) that contain thousands of antitoxin and antibiotics (doxycycline) to prevent the progression of anthrax illness. I think I should have included the risk the cattle are exposed to contracting anthrax due to their close relation with the dirt which is where anthrax spores are found. I could have included the course of disease in animals in which animals are at an increased risk of inhaling anthrax spores and dying immediately due to the rapid onset of the disease and minimal observable symptoms.

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virulence: is the harmfulness of a disease

anthrax is very virulent due to spore formation

anthrax has alway been virulent due to the inhalation and spread of spores

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1. Anthrax disease is combated using antibiotics such as doxycylcine, cipro, and amoxycillin intravenously to kill the antrax cells and prevent cell divison.

2. Anthim (obiltoxaximab) injection was receently approved on 3/18/2016 and is used to treat inhaltional anthrax in combination with antibacteria drugs such as ciprofloxacin.

3. -a new technological form of an injection medications are used to treat inhalation anthrax as well as a new anthrax vaccine that is used to prevent anthrax contraction.

The anthrax vaccine includes a sterile filtrate of alum-precipitated anthrax antigens with adjuvants to stimulate immunological responses to produce antibodies.

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How was the disease handled by the leadership and/or governmental bodies to the disease?

They created a “what you can do to prepare” guide listing how to get antibiotics during an anthrax crisis, keeping a family medical history, be aware of anthrax symptoms, proving resources to the public accounting for preparedness and response for anthrax contraction. The government has providing a list of resources that are easily accessible online, providing the public with easy access and resources to use in case of anthrax contraction.

Were any innovative initiatives used in combatting the disease? What were they?

They implemented mail care workers to wear nitrile glovers underneath machine gloves to prevent any skin to skin contact with mail. They also implemented a biohazard detection system that will detect anthrax in the mail that absorbs airborne particles into a sterile water base creating a liquid sample to be tested.

What could leadership have done better in response to this disease?

I think they could have funded more state laborites that are capable of testing for anthrax or other bioterrorism agents. I also think they could have properly educated healthcare workers in how to respond, diagnose, and treat patients infected with anthrax as well as propose operational plans for a quick response to initiate crisis standards of care that provide adequate care to infected patients as well as proteins healthcare workers.

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-anthrax impacted society as the bioterrorism attack in 2001 caused societal fear and caused the CDC to invest in research and education regarding the impact and virulence of the disease. This attack caused society to implicate new mail carrier protocol regarding new safety precautions such as detectors that examine mail contents as well as the use of gloves when handling mail. During the year of 2001 people began to wear masks to avoid the possible inhalation of anthrax spores. Additionally, people will wear nitrile or vinyl gloves to prevent skin contact with BA-contaminated materials, and when handling animals as well as the use eye, face, and respiratory protection in rooms containing infected rodents, based on the risk of exposure. Society did learn from the physical effect of the disease as they are more aware of symptoms that cause the disease as well as the necessary protocol to follow upon infection such as isolation, doxycycine antibiotics, or seek PODs (products of dispensing) that are designed to provide medicine to a large number of people in a short period of time.