Anthrax is a particularly dangerous infectious disease of animals and humans.

The disease in animals is hyperacute, acute and subacute, and in pigs it is asymptomatic, mainly in a local anginal form. The disease in humans most often manifests itself as an infection of the external integument and is only occasionally complicated by anthrax sepsis: at the same time, a primary generalized infection can also develop, manifesting itself in pulmonary or intestinal forms. The causative agent of the disease is a spore-forming microorganism that, under certain conditions, is able to multiply in the soil and maintain its vital activity for decades.

The source of the infectious agent is a sick animal. The secretions of diseased animals (feces, urine, bloody discharge from natural orifices) contain bacilli that turn into spores when exposed to air. Plots of soil and other environmental objects containing anthrax spores are reservoirs and transmission factors of the infectious agent for a long time.

The main route of infection for animals is through feed and water. Airborne infection is also possible through blood-sucking insects.

Human infection occurs when caring for sick animals, in the process of slaughtering them, skinning, butchering carcasses, cooking MEAT, cleaning and destroying corpses, during storage, transportation, primary processing and sale of animal raw materials containing the infectious agent. It is possible to infect a person through contact with infected soil, as well as airborne and transmissible routes.

Source: Rostov Reference Center of ROSSELKHOZNADZOR