FACTS
ABOUT ANTHRAX
Anthrax bacteria in laboratory culture
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Anthrax is an acute infectious disease caused by the spore-forming
bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Anthrax most commonly occurs
in hoofed mammals and can also infect humans.
Symptoms of disease vary depending on how the disease was contracted,
but usually occur within 7 days after exposure. The serious forms
of human anthrax are inhalation anthrax, cutaneous anthrax, and
intestinal anthrax.
Initial symptoms of inhalation anthrax infection may resemble a
common cold. After several days, the symptoms may progress to severe
breathing problems and shock. Inhalation anthrax is often fatal.
The intestinal disease form of anthrax may follow the consumption
of contaminated food and is characterized by an acute inflammation
of the intestinal tract. Initial signs of nausea, loss of appetite,
vomiting, and fever are followed by abdominal pain, vomiting of
blood, and severe diarrhea.
Direct person-to-person spread of anthrax is extremely unlikely,
if it occurs at all. Therefore, there is no need to immunize or
treat contacts of persons ill with anthrax, such as household contacts,
friends, or coworkers, unless they also were also exposed to the
same source of infection.
In persons exposed to anthrax, infection can be prevented with antibiotic
treatment. Early antibiotic treatment of anthrax is essential–delay
lessens chances for survival. Anthrax is usually susceptible to
penicillin, doxycycline, ciprofloxacin (sometimes shortened to "Cipro"
) and fluoroquinolones.
An anthrax vaccine also can prevent infection. Vaccination against
anthrax is not recommended for the general public to prevent disease
and is not available.
This article is based on information from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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FACTS
ABOUT SMALLPOX
Skin lesions in a smallpox patient
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Smallpox infection was eliminated from the world in 1977.
Smallpox is caused by variola virus. The incubation period
is about 12 days (range: 7 to 17 days) following exposure. Initial
symptoms include high fever, fatigue, and head and back aches. A
characteristic rash, most prominent on the face, arms, and legs,
follows in 2-3 days. The rash starts with flat red lesions that
evolve at the same rate. Lesions become pus-filled and begin to
crust early in the second week. Scabs develop and then separate
and fall off after about 3-4 weeks. The majority of patients with
smallpox recover, but death occurs in up to 30% of cases.
Smallpox is spread from one person to another by infected saliva
droplets that expose a susceptible person having face-to-face contact
with the ill person. Persons with smallpox are most infectious during
the first week of illness, because that is when the largest amount
of virus is present in saliva. However, some risk of transmission
lasts until all scabs have fallen off.
Routine vaccination against smallpox ended in 1972. The level of
immunity, if any, among persons who were vaccinated before 1972
is uncertain; therefore, these persons are assumed to be susceptible.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vaccination
against smallpox is not recommended to prevent the disease in the
general public and therefore is not available.
In people exposed to smallpox, the vaccine can lessen the severity
of or even prevent illness if given within 4 days after exposure.
Vaccine against smallpox contains another live virus called vaccinia.
The vaccine does not contain smallpox virus. The United States currently
has an emergency supply of smallpox vaccine.
There is no proven treatment for smallpox but research to evaluate
new antiviral agents is ongoing. Patients with smallpox can benefit
from supportive therapy (intravenous fluids, medicine to control
fever or pain, etc.) and antibiotics for any secondary bacterial
infections that occur.
This article is based on information from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
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