Anthrax Primarily Affects Herbivores

Anthrax is a fatal infection of the skin, respiratory system, or gastroineutinal systems. Affects most animals that are herbivores. The life cycle of anthrax starts with the animal and when the animal dies, the diseases sits on the soil while the other mammals eat the grass from that spot. Louis Pasteur developed a vaccine for his sheep to prevent them from getting anthrax which led other doctors and scientist to acknowledge

In 1994, Gloucestershire, England was assailed by the infamous and unstoppable "flesh-eating bacteria" or Necrotizing Fasciitis, which virtually devoured its victims to death (2). In March of 1996, 2.6 million cows were slaughtered in the United Kingdom in an effort to rid themselves of the invasion of the Mad Cow disease. Another term for Mad Cow disease is Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), which is a disease observed solely in cattle. Mad Cow disease or BSE is transmitted to humans via the consumption of infected beef resulting in a fatal human brain disorder known as Creutzfeldt-Jacob (CJD). As a result of this "British beef scare" 32 people died of CJD, of whose deaths were linked to Mad Cow disease (10.e). Similarly, 1 million chickens were gassed to death in Hong Kong in 1997 in order to prevent the already undertaking spread of Influenza A (H5N1) or "Bird Flu". The worst Influenza A epidemic occurred in the United States killing 20 million people in 1918 (10.b). In New York last month, five people died of a rare encephalitis disease caused by a West Nile-like virus, which is believed to have been transmitted from birds, who researchers found to have died from the West Nile virus (8). Finally, and probably the most menacing disease ever in human history would have to be HIV and AIDS, which is still infecting the human population worldwide in gross amounts.

Presently, speculations have risen about the amount of antibiotics used in the livestock industry and the desire to consume antibiotic-free meats. What is not understood, however, is the USDA has been monitoring the amount of antimicrobial residue in meats for several years. If unsafe levels are detected the meat is not allowed to be sold for human consumption. Yet, fast food chains such as Subway and Chipotle are claiming to go completely antibiotic free within the next decade. The practicality of this becoming a reality is slim due to the need to control, treat, and prevent diseases. To truly understand the importance of the antibiotic usage in cattle it must first be understood what antibiotics are and the reasons they are used. Additionally, the use of vaccinations should be taken into account for the

There are many areas things can go wrong in the process of raising, slaughtering, and packaging the beef for human consumption. Especially so in slaughterhouses and processing plants, as there are many potential contamination hazards, and most depend on human attention to catch and correct. The cattle may arrive at the slaughterhouse with feces on their hides, which present the first risk of contamination as it can be very difficult to remove the hides from the animal without transferring any of the pathogen bearing feces to the carcass. The second high-risk area in the slaughterhouse is the gutting station, where at some locations, workers are expected to keep up an extremely fast pace, as many as sixty cattle per hour, which does not provide adequate time to prevent accidents. A ruptured gut sac can leave a carcass intended for human consumption covered in fecal matter or stomach acids all potentially containing the potentially deadly foodborne bacteria (Schlosser 203). At these slaughterhouses, steps are taken to clean and disinfect the carcasses, but E. coli is hard to kill. It is encouraged by the Agricultural Department to begin testing at these locations for E. coli, but most choose not to, as they stand to suffer significant monetary damage if they discover any E. coli present in their products (Moss 3). Most slaughterhouses will not sell their products to processing plants that plan to pre-screen the meat before combining and

Also, the anthrax spores can take between 1 - 60 days to begin to germinate in the body.

While domestic and wild animals are the most likely living things to contract anthrax in America, it is very unlikely that anyone or anything will catch it because anthrax vaccinations are very highly recommended in areas where the disease has been found before. For a person to contract the disease from an infected animal, he or she would have to either eat undercooked meat from that animal or get blood or other bodily fluid into an open wound on his or her skin. Other ways to contract the disease are to breathe in the spores, eat or drink something that has been infected with spores, or get spores in a cut or scrape (Anthrax, 2014).

Clostridium perfringens is known to be one of the most spread foodborne pathogen in the world, generally referred to as the "food service bug.” There are two types of food poisoning, identified as, type A and type C. Type A is the most common human disease, which is caused by a bacterial disease that discharge alpha-toxins in uncooked or improper handled of meat. This type of food poisoning, although usually mild, can have some devastating outcomes to any individuals’ health. The side effects of bacterial contamination can go from swelling, stomach discomfort, gas gangrene infection and even cause death. The injuries caused by gas gangrene known as “Clostridial myonecrosis,” that multiplies throughout the surface of the skin as the gases are released from its alpha-toxins, in which the bacterium's aging process of digestion results in immediate tissue

Anthrax exists in nature. It can be produced in lab and use it as a weapon. United States of America had an experience with anthrax attack in 2001. Inhalation anthrax is the most serious form (CDC, 2014). The symptoms of inhalation anthrax are fever, malaise, headache, cough, shortness of breath, and chest pain (U.SN of Library Medicine, 2016).

One of the most frequently worldwide foodborne diseases outbreak was caused by the enterotoxin produced by the Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). When certain strains of S. aureus is growing, the enterotoxin is produced as a byproduct. In favorable condition, enterotoxin is not produced by the S. aureus. Generally, the toxin will be produced once the total cell numbers reach 100,000 per gram of meat. Enterotoxin is high heat resistant which not able to remove by the normal temperature and time used to process or cook foods. It also could withstand high salt levels, nitrite and grow in the condition with or without air. S. aureus is often present in the mucous membranes which are the nose and throat, the surface of the skin and hair. It can also present in infections lead to the occurrence of food contamination. For an example, S. aureus could be transmitted through the air and contaminate the meat from the carcass during the processing. Foods that often contaminate with S. aureus included ham, corned beef, salami, bacon, barbecued meat, salads, the baking product containing cream and cheese.

Being exposed to anthrax doesn't always mean you will be infected and if you can catch any kind early you'll have a better chance to survive. Doctors have many options for treatment. They can use antibiotics and antitoxins but people with the worse cases of anthrax have to be treated in the hospital. The aggressive hospital treatment may include draining fluid off the lungs and mechanical breathing machines. Every type of anthrax can be treated with antibiotics. Doctors also must include antitoxins with the common antibiotic treatments but there are not a lot of antitoxins available to use. Spores can be inactive in the body for up to 60 days which is why people exposed to the anthrax must be treated for 60 days after contamination. This helps so that when the anthrax spores become active they are protected against it. There is also a vaccine to prevent anthrax but it is very risky because there can be severe allergic reactions possible and it is not available to the general public. People who can get the vaccine are lab workers, vets, and US military personnel. It protects 90 percent of people that get the vaccine. The vaccine for animals reduces the risk for humans getting anthrax. (“Anthrax” Centers for disease control and

Anthrax is dangerous and deadly poison. It can be found in soil and wild animals. The attack of Anthrax took place on October 2001. Contact with anthrax can cause serious illness in humans and animals. Anthrax is not contagious, even though you get infected with anthrax when spores get into the body. Antibiotics can cure the disease. On October 2001, there was heavy pressure from the President to solve the Anthrax Files. In addition, they had two suspects for the Anthrax crime and FBI’s were sure that the second suspect was guilty.

Acute disease anthrax is caused by the bacterium bacillus anthracis. In most cases this disease can be extremely lethal and for the most part it affects only animals the most common way of contraction is through contact or consumption of meat that has been infected by this contagious disease. There are vaccines that can protect against anthrax available. And in many cases the disease can respond to antibiotic treatment with success. Similar to other members of the genus bacillus b anthracis it is known to form dormant endospores that have the ability to survive in conditions that may be harsh for long periods of time. When an endospore is inhaled or ingested or comes into contact with apiece of skin on the given subject the spore

Before the 20th century, the use of biological agents took three major forms, Deliberate contamination of food and water with poisonous or contagious material using of microbes, biological toxins, animals, or plants (living or dead) in a weapon system, using of biologically inoculated fabrics and persons. Now a day sophisticated bacteriological and virological techniques allowed the production of significant stockpiles of weaponized bio-agents such as; Anthrax, Brucella, Tularemia, Smallpox, Viral hemorrhagic fevers, Botulinum, Ricin, (Legvold, 2012).The most likely route of dissemination is an aerosolized release of 1-5mm particles. Other methods of dissemination include oral, intentional contamination of food/water supply, percutaneous,

For those who have these jobs or are in the military there are vaccines available

It is possible to “accidently” infect this disease versus a proposed terrorist threat. Specific risk factors are subject but not limited to, animal contact i.e. hunting, trapping, or butchering. This may also include, working with infected animals, eating them, or being bit by