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Anthrax: A Re-Emerging Livestock Disease

Received: 13 April 2015     Accepted: 13 April 2015     Published: 12 May 2015
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Abstract

Anthrax is a contagious and highly fatal zoonotic bacterial disease affecting primarily herbivores. Mortality can be very high, especially in herbivores. The disease has world-wide distribution and is a zoonosis. The etiological agent is the endospore-forming, Gram-positive, nonmotile, rod-shaped Bacillus anthracis. Central to the persistence of anthrax in an area is the ability of B. anthracis to form long-lasting, highly resistant spores. Understanding the ecology of anthrax spores is essential if one hopes to control epidemics. Studies on the ecology of anthrax spores have found a correlation between the disease and specific soil factors, such as alkaline pH, high moisture, and high organic content. The repeated anthrax outbreak in livestock and subsequent infection to human has been considered as a nationwide alarming issue. Outbreaks of anthrax have diverse consequences on society. Establishing the appropriate control strategies is very important and crucial in reducing the socio-economic impact of the disease. Control measures are aimed at breaking the cycle of infection, and their implementation must be adhered to rigorously. It can be used as a biological weapon and has been classified as a Category ‘A’ bio threat by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This review describes this important disease covering its etiology, epidemiology, transmission, pathogenesis, clinical signs, diagnosis and prevention and control strategies to be adopted to combat this globally important pathogen.

Published in International Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences (Volume 4, Issue 4-1)

This article belongs to the Special Issue Review on Novel Approaches for the Management of Emerging and Reemerging Livestock Diseases

DOI 10.11648/j.ijnfs.s.2015040401.12
Page(s) 7-12
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2015. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Anthrax, Ecological factors, Epidemics, Management strategies

References
[1] J.T. Bartlett, L. Inglesby and Borio. Management of anthrax. Clin. Infect. Dis. 35: 851-857. 2002.
[2] F.W. Eurich and M.D. Edin. The history of anthrax in the wool industry of Bradford, and of its control. Lancet. January 2, 57-58, 1926.
[3] D. Dragon, and R. Rennie. The ecology of anthrax spores: tough but not invincible. Can Vet J. 36:295–301. 1995.
[4] K.Ibrahim, G. Brown, D. Wright and J. Rotschafer. Bacillus anthracis: medical issues of biologic warfare. Pharmacotherapy. 19: 690-701.1990.
[5] S.E. Pabian and M.C. Brittingham. Soil calcium and forest birds: Indirect links between nutrient availability and community composition.Ecosystems 15: 748-760. 2012.
[6] S. Leppl. Anthrax toxins. In J. Moss, B. Iglewski, M. Vaughan, and A. T. Tu (ed.) Bacterial toxins and virulence factors in disease. p. 543-572.1995.
[7] M.N.Van Ert, W.R. Easterday, L.Y.Huynh, R.T.Okinaka, M.E. Hugh-Jones J Ravel, Global genetic population structure of Bacillus anthracis. PLoS ONE. 2:461 2007.
[8] P.C.B Turnbull. Definitive identification of Bacillus anthracis—a review. J. Appl. Microbiol.87:237-240. 1999.
[9] M. Sterne. The effect of different carbon dioxide concentrations on the growth of virulent anthrax strains. Onderstepoort J. Vet. Sci. Anim. Ind., 9, 49–67.1937.
[10] M.N. Mongoh, N.W. Dyer, C.L. Stoltenow and M.L Khaitsa. Risk factors associated with anthrax outbreak in animals in North Dakota, 2005: A retrospective case-control study. Public Health Rep 123: 352-359. 2008.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    S. Parthiban, S. Malmarugan, M. S. Murugan, J. Johnson Rajeswar, P. Pothiappan. (2015). Anthrax: A Re-Emerging Livestock Disease. International Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences, 4(4-1), 7-12. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnfs.s.2015040401.12

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    ACS Style

    S. Parthiban; S. Malmarugan; M. S. Murugan; J. Johnson Rajeswar; P. Pothiappan. Anthrax: A Re-Emerging Livestock Disease. Int. J. Nutr. Food Sci. 2015, 4(4-1), 7-12. doi: 10.11648/j.ijnfs.s.2015040401.12

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    AMA Style

    S. Parthiban, S. Malmarugan, M. S. Murugan, J. Johnson Rajeswar, P. Pothiappan. Anthrax: A Re-Emerging Livestock Disease. Int J Nutr Food Sci. 2015;4(4-1):7-12. doi: 10.11648/j.ijnfs.s.2015040401.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijnfs.s.2015040401.12,
      author = {S. Parthiban and S. Malmarugan and M. S. Murugan and J. Johnson Rajeswar and P. Pothiappan},
      title = {Anthrax: A Re-Emerging Livestock Disease},
      journal = {International Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences},
      volume = {4},
      number = {4-1},
      pages = {7-12},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijnfs.s.2015040401.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnfs.s.2015040401.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijnfs.s.2015040401.12},
      abstract = {Anthrax is a contagious and highly fatal zoonotic bacterial disease affecting primarily herbivores. Mortality can be very high, especially in herbivores. The disease has world-wide distribution and is a zoonosis.  The etiological agent is the endospore-forming, Gram-positive, nonmotile, rod-shaped Bacillus anthracis. Central to the persistence of anthrax in an area is the ability of B. anthracis to form long-lasting, highly resistant spores. Understanding the ecology of anthrax spores is essential if one hopes to control epidemics. Studies on the ecology of anthrax spores have found a correlation between the disease and specific soil factors, such as alkaline pH, high moisture, and high organic content. The repeated anthrax outbreak in livestock and subsequent infection to human has been considered as a nationwide alarming issue. Outbreaks of anthrax have diverse consequences on society. Establishing the appropriate control strategies is very important and crucial in reducing the socio-economic impact of the disease. Control measures are aimed at breaking the cycle of infection, and their implementation must be adhered to rigorously. It can be used as a biological weapon and has been classified as a Category ‘A’ bio threat by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This review describes this important disease covering its etiology, epidemiology, transmission, pathogenesis, clinical signs, diagnosis and prevention and control strategies to be adopted to combat this globally important pathogen.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

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    AU  - S. Parthiban
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    AB  - Anthrax is a contagious and highly fatal zoonotic bacterial disease affecting primarily herbivores. Mortality can be very high, especially in herbivores. The disease has world-wide distribution and is a zoonosis.  The etiological agent is the endospore-forming, Gram-positive, nonmotile, rod-shaped Bacillus anthracis. Central to the persistence of anthrax in an area is the ability of B. anthracis to form long-lasting, highly resistant spores. Understanding the ecology of anthrax spores is essential if one hopes to control epidemics. Studies on the ecology of anthrax spores have found a correlation between the disease and specific soil factors, such as alkaline pH, high moisture, and high organic content. The repeated anthrax outbreak in livestock and subsequent infection to human has been considered as a nationwide alarming issue. Outbreaks of anthrax have diverse consequences on society. Establishing the appropriate control strategies is very important and crucial in reducing the socio-economic impact of the disease. Control measures are aimed at breaking the cycle of infection, and their implementation must be adhered to rigorously. It can be used as a biological weapon and has been classified as a Category ‘A’ bio threat by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This review describes this important disease covering its etiology, epidemiology, transmission, pathogenesis, clinical signs, diagnosis and prevention and control strategies to be adopted to combat this globally important pathogen.
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Author Information
  • Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Veterinary College and Research Institute, Tamilnadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Tirunelveli, Tamilnadu, India

  • Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Veterinary College and Research Institute, Tamilnadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Tirunelveli, Tamilnadu, India

  • Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Veterinary College and Research Institute, Tamilnadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Tirunelveli, Tamilnadu, India

  • Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Veterinary College and Research Institute, Tamilnadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Tirunelveli, Tamilnadu, India

  • Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Veterinary College and Research Institute, Tamilnadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Tirunelveli, Tamilnadu, India

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