Anthrax is an infectious disease that is caused by bacteria. It is rare in the United States but can be deadly. Anthrax mainly affects livestock, but humans can become infected through direct contact with sick animals.

There is no evidence that anthrax is transmitted from person to person, but it is possible that anthrax skin lesions may be contagious to touch. Usually the anthrax bacteria enter the body through a wound on the skin, you can become contaminated through eating infected meat or inhaling the spores.

Anthrax is found naturally in soil in many parts of the world. The spore can remain dormant for many years until they find their way into a host animal, such as livestock, sheep and cattle. Most human cases of anthrax are a result of exposure with an infected animal, either through their meat or hides.

The symptoms of anthrax will vary depending on how you become infected. In most cases symptoms will develop within 7 days of exposure to the bacteria, with the exception of inhaling the bacteria, in which case it may take weeks before symptoms appear.

A cutaneous anthrax infection occurs when the bacteria enters your body through a cut or sore on the skin. It is the most common and the mildest form. Symptoms include a raised itchy bump resembling an insect bite. It will quickly develop into a painless sore with a black center. You will experience swelling in the sore and nearby lymph glands.

Gastrointestinal anthrax comes from eating under cooked meat from a contaminated animal. Symptoms will include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, headache, fever, sore throat, swollen neck, loss of appetite and in the later stages severe bloody diarrhea.

Pulmonary anthrax develops when you breath in the anthrax spores. It is the deadliest version of the infection, and is often fatal even with treatment. Symptoms include flu-like symptoms, along with shortness of breath, nausea, chest discomfort, painful swallowing and coughing up blood. It can develop high-fever, trouble breathing, shock and even meningitis.

Injection anthrax has so far only been recorded in Europe and is contracted through injecting illegal drugs. Initial symptoms include redness at the site of injection with significant swelling. It can then develop into shock, meningitis and multiple organ failure.

Standard treatment for anthrax is a 60 day course of antibiotics, treatment is most effective when started as soon as possible after infection. Advanced inhalation anthrax may not respond to the drugs, as the bacteria may have produced more toxins than the drugs can fight.