ANTHRAX SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT
ANTHRAX INFORMATION
* Humans become infected by coming into contact with spores,
through the
* skin
* mucous membranes
* resperatory tract
* digestive tract
* Spores (the offspring of the organsim) can survive in soil for 50 years.
* Humans are most commonly infected by spores found on animal
products such as hides, bristles, or wool. Biological warfare attack
can be transmitted through the air, food, water, or any kind of contact.
ANTHRAX SKIN SYMPTOMS
Skin Anthrax infection begins as a raised itchy bump that resembles an insect bite but within 1-2 days develops into a vesicle and then a painless ulcer, usually 1-3 cm in diameter, with a characteristic black necrotic (dying) area in the center. * a reddish brown sore that breaks open and forms a scab. Lymph glands in the adjacent area may swell. About 20% of untreated cases of cutaneous anthrax will result in death. Deaths are rare with appropriate antimicrobial therapy.
* Usually find a typical painless lesion (ulcer) at site of
infection with a black, necrotic (dying tissue) eschar (scab).
* Local swelling is prominent
* pulmonary (lungs/breathing/inhalation of it) anthrax may be
life threatening.
If you suspect that you've been sprayed with Anthrax, it will be all over everything. The only way to help protect yourself is with the use of BLEACH and WATER. "Disinfection of contaminated articles may be accomplished using a 0.05% hypochlorite solution (1 tbps. bleach per gallon of water). Spore destruction requires steam sterilization."
INTESTINAL ANTHRAX (eating it)
Again, it is doubtful that transmission is a low percentage (unless you buy food where the spores have landed, then you can ingest it and end up with the below symptoms):
Intestinal:(EATING FOOD CONTAMINATED WITH IT) The intestinal disease form of anthrax may follow the consumption of contaminated meat and is characterized by an acute inflammation of the intestinal tract.
Initial signs of nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, fever are followed by abdominal pain, vomiting of blood, and severe diarrhea. * Abdominal Pain * Inflammation of the Intestinal Tract Intestinal anthrax results in death in 25% to 60% of cases.
ANTHRAX INHALATION SYMPTOMS
FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS or a CHEST COLD SYMPTOMS
About 1-6 days after inhaling Bacillus anthracis spores there would be a gradual onset of vague symptoms of illness such as fatigue, fever, mild discomfort in the chest and a possibly a dry cough. You may think you have the "flu" or a "chest cold." The symptoms would improve for a few hours or up to 2-3 days. Then, there would be sudden onset of difficulty in breathing, profuse sweating, cyanosis (blue colored skin), shock and death in 24-36 hours.
These symptoms are essentially those of Woolsorter's disease, which is caused by inhalation of Bacillus anthracis spores rather than contact with the bacterium through the skin. Contact through the skin is the most common "naturally" occurring form of Anthrax and is characterized by swelling and boils on the skin. Skin symptoms would not necessarily be expected with Anthrax resulting from inhaled spores in a biological war attack; it would more than likely be INHALED.
Anthrax symptoms have TWO PHASES. The first set of symptoms mirror non-specific flu-like symptoms. (see gas masks)
1st Phase Symptoms
* fever
* chills
* general discomfort, uneasiness, or ill feeling (malaise)
* headache
* nausea and vomiting
* shortness of breath/breathing problems
* cough, dry
* congestion of the nose and throat
* mild chest discomfort with a non-productive cough that will later,
will turn into pneumonia
* joint stiffness
* joint pain
* Loss of Appetite
After the first phase of the Anthrax disease, you may experience improvement, and the symptoms seem to abate for 1-3 days, and you might even start to feel better. But without treatment:
The second phase will hit you hard, and usually, within 24-36 hours. This phase is one is marked by high fever, dyspnea (shortness of breath), stridor (lungs filling with fluid), cyanosis (blue-colored skin, and you are not able to get sufficient oxygen into your body due to breathing problems), and shock, and then you likely die.
2nd Phase Symptoms
* Breathing Problems/pneumonia
* Shock
* Swollen Lymph Glands
* Profuse sweating
* Cyanosis (skin turns blue)
ANTHRAX TREATMENT
TRADITIONAL MEDICAL TESTS INVOLVE
Signs and tests:
* blood cultures positive for anthrax
* chest X-ray
* serologic test for anthrax
* spinal tap for CSF culture and analysis
TRADITIONAL MEDICAL TREATMENT
* Antibiotics: Most commonly Cipro or Penicillin
* No significant resistance observed if treated early
QUESTIONS ABOUT ANTHRAX
Q. Can anthrax be spread from person-to-person? A. Direct person-to-person spread of anthrax is extremely unlikely to occur. Communicability is not a concern in managing or visiting with patients with inhalational anthrax.
Q. How is anthrax diagnosed? A. Anthrax is diagnosed by isolating B. anthracis from the blood, skin lesions, or respiratory secretions or by measuring specific antibodies in the blood of persons with suspected cases.
Q. Is there a treatment for anthrax? A. Doctors can prescribe effective antibiotics. To be effective, treatment should be initiated early. If left untreated, the disease can be fatal. Early treatment usually results in a favorable prognosis.
Q. Can Anthrax be treated with home remedies. A. Only if you are suicidal - If you suspect you might have true symptoms of Anthrax, seek professional medical attention immediately!
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