| Summary |
Anthrax, the worldwide disease caused by the spore-forming Bacillus anthracis, now has become the focus again since several fatal cases of human were identified in America. Warm-blooded animals are generally susceptible to the agent.Sheep and cattle are particularly sensitive. Anthrax is generally considered a soilborne infection and does not commonly spread by animal to animal. Anthrax is usually classified as inhalation, gastrointestinal and cutaneous forms by the entry portals of infection and recognized as pharyngeal, intestinal and septicemic types by the clinical signs. Bacillus anthracis secrets two toxins, that are composed of protective antigen(PA), lethal factor (LF) and edema factor (EF). The PA plus LF elicit death of animal,whereas PA plus EF produce edema in the skin. Anthrax should be suspected when the carcass is necropsied and patients show extensive edema and unclotting blood. Similar signs were noticed in a dead racing horse, which was submitted to the National Institute for Animal Health for necropsy from a horse park in November 1999. Dark-brown
nasal discharge and extensive edematous swelling in body surface were observed.
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