Anthrax Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Anthrax - Essay Example They are of three types: Symptoms: The causal agent does not cause the infection immediately but requires incubation period from 7 to 60 days. The initial symptoms are similar to flu with a very high temperature > 100 F followed by coolness or sweat. It may give chest distress, difficulty in breathing, muscular fatigue. The symptoms also include non-productive cough, aching throat, headache and nausea, loss of appetite, abdominal distress, vomiting or diarrhea (Mikesell,). 1. Cutaneous anthrax (skin): The causal organism gains entry in the body through a cut or an abrasion especially when a person encounters either contaminated animal products or diseased animal. The organism establishes the infection with a raised bump similar to an insect or mosquito bite, followed by itching. After 1-2 days it develops into a vesicle which takes the form of a painless ulcer. This ulcer after 7-10 days becomes black necrotic in the centre called as eschar. The body responds to this by swelling in the adjacent lymph glands. Fever, headache and distress occur. It could be fatal if antimicrobial treatment is not given. 2. Inhalation anthrax: The incubation period varies from 2 to 60 days. The symptoms are similar to common cold or sore throat with a mild fever and muscular pain and malaise. It is not contagious but if untreated the condition results in severe breathing discomfort, shock, symptoms like pneumonia or may give rise to meningitis. It may become fatal in 24 to 36 hrs. 3. Gastrointestinal anthrax: It is more severe form of anthrax than cutaneous form, caused by the consumption of contaminated animal product. This is featured by an acute inflammation of the intestinal tract. The condition onset with nausea, vomiting with blood, followed by loss of appetite, fever and severe abdominal pain and severe diarrhea with blood. It may be fatal in 25-60% of the cases as ascites fills the abdomen, followed by shock an death within the span of 2-5 days. 4. Oropharyngeal anthrax: It is not a popular form of anthrax. This encompasses fever, swelling in the lymph nodes especially in the cervical region and severe throat pain and discomfort in swallowing. Sometimes ulcer may appear at the basal region of tongue. If condition is not cured then breathing distress occurs (http://www.bt.cdc.gov). Treatment and Prevention: The disease is not contagious but the fomites of the patients may be contaminated with the spores of the causal organism. Decontamination of people and belongings is crucial with an antimicrobial agent or with bleach especially formaldehyde as chlorine is ineffective to kill vegetative cells and also the spores. Articles can be decontaminated by boiling them in water for at least 30 mins. Timely care and antibiotic therapy can enhance the chances of survival of the victims. Therapy can be started with the oral course of antibiotics followed by intravenous doses (IV). Fluoroquinolones like ciprofloxacin (cipro), doxycycline, erythromycin, vancomycin or penicillin. Early antibiotic prophylaxis can prevent the disease taking the fatal form. Quarantine