In simple words: Anthrax is a rare but serious bacterial infection. People can get it from infected animals or animal products like wool or meat. You can get anthrax through a cut in your skin, by breathing in the bacteria, or by eating contaminated food. The symptoms depend on how you get infected but can include skin sores, fever, chills, breathing problems, and stomach issues.

Anthrax is a rare but serious infection caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis.It primarily affects livestock and wild animals but can be transmitted to humans through contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products, such as wool, hides, or meat. Human infection can occur cutaneously (through the skin), by inhalation (breathing in spores), or gastrointestinally (ingesting contaminated food or water). Symptoms vary depending on the route of infection but can include skin lesions (cutaneous), fever, chills, respiratory distress (inhalation), or gastrointestinal issues (gastrointestinal).

Example 1: A farmer develops a painless skin lesion with a black center after handling an infected animal hide. This is consistent with cutaneous anthrax., A wool mill worker experiences fever, chills, and respiratory distress after inhaling anthrax spores. This suggests inhalation anthrax., A person develops severe gastrointestinal symptoms after consuming undercooked meat from an infected animal. This could be gastrointestinal anthrax.

Documentation should include details of the exposure, clinical findings (e.g., skin lesions, respiratory symptoms, gastrointestinal issues), laboratory results, and treatment provided. For cutaneous anthrax, describe the characteristics of the skin lesion. For inhalation anthrax, document respiratory symptoms and chest imaging findings. For gastrointestinal anthrax, describe gastrointestinal symptoms and stool culture results.

** Anthrax is a reportable disease. Healthcare providers should notify public health authorities immediately upon suspicion or diagnosis of anthrax.