Anthrax is an acute infectious disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis.
It most commonly occurs in mammals such as cattle, sheep, goats, camels and antelopes, but can also occur in humans when they are exposed to infected animals or tissue from infected animals.
It is most common in agricultural regions where it occurs in animals. Humans infected with anthrax usually have been exposed to infected animals or products through their occupations.
Anthrax infection can occur in three forms: cutaneous (skin), inhalation, and gastrointestinal.
Spores can live in the soil for years, and humans can become infected with anthrax by handling products from infected animals or by inhaling anthrax spores from contaminated animal products.
Anthrax is global. It is more common in developing countries or countries without veterinary public health programmes.
Direct, person-to-person spread of anthrax is extremely unlikely. It is not contagious. Doctors can prescribe effective antibiotics. To be effective, treatment should be initiated early. If left untreated, the disease can be fatal.
Anthrax is a favoured biological weapon because its microscopic spores are hardy, easy to produce, can be ground up into a fine powder and can survive better than other pathogens.
All it takes would be someone who knew what they were doing, a sample of the rod-shaped bacterium and equipment found in most university laboratories.