Anthrax
Written by Carol A. Rice, Ph.D., R.N., Professor and Extension Health Specialist
Many people are wondering if there is something they should do to protect their families and homes from a disease few of us ever thought much about until recently—anthrax. Listening to the almost continuous reports on television news leads many to feel an urgent need to do something. What do we need to know about anthrax? What should families do?
What is anthrax and how can you get it?
Anthrax is a disease that has been around since ancient times. It is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium, bacillus anthracis. This bacterium forms spores that can remain dormant in our environment for many years. These spores are very hard to destroy. Once they get inside an animal or person, the spores change to the disease causing form, multiplying quickly. This disease causing form makes animals or people very sick by releasing very powerful toxins or poisons into the body.
Unlike colds and flu, anthrax is not passed from one person to another. The anthrax bacteria gets into a person’s body either through the nose into the lungs, through a cut or sore in the skin, or through the digestive system when someone eats meat from an animal sick with anthrax. Until recently, people developed anthrax primarily because they were around grass-eating animals like cattle, goats, sheep, or deer sick with anthrax, or they handled products like meat, hides, wool or hair from animals sick with anthrax. In other cases, people developed anthrax by working with contaminated soil. Animal anthrax is very rare today because of animal vaccination programs.
Recently some people have developed anthrax because they handled mail containing the bacteria. However, we should remember: only a small number of people have been exposed to anthrax, only very few of these people have developed anthrax, and even fewer have died. Doctors and other health professionals in emergency rooms now know to think about anthrax, diagnose it quickly and treat it aggressively. Antibiotics such as cipro, penicillin and doxycycline can successfully treat and cure anthrax when it is caught early.
What should families do to protect themselves against anthrax?
Some people think they should take the antibiotic, cipro, just in case they might have come in contact with the anthrax bacteria. Public health officials are asking people not to do this. Like any drug, cipro is very powerful and may cause very uncomfortable side effects including nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. It may also cause dangerous allergic reactions in some people. In addition, using antibiotics when they are not needed raises the possibility the antibiotic might not always be effective in the future. This powerful antibiotic is being given to people who health authorities are sure need it because they have been exposed to anthrax.
Should people be scrubbing their homes with a bleach or other disinfectant solutions to protect against anthrax, for example? This is not necessary. We must keep in mind that our chances of receiving a letter or package with anthrax is extremely low. If for any reason you believe you have received something containing anthrax, do not shake it or try to clean anything. Walk away from it, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water, keep others away, and call 911 or your local law enforcement officers. See a doctor immediately if you have reason to believe you have been exposed.
Anthrax occurs naturally in our environment. However, it has to get into the body through our skin, nose, or digestive system. Wear gloves and bandage any cuts or sores when gardening or performing other activities involving soil. Wash your hands with soap and running water after working outside.
If you work around animals where anthrax has recently occurred, make sure your animals are vaccinated against the disease. Anthrax vaccine is not recommended for or available to the general public. For further information on anthrax immunizations contact the Texas Department of State Health Services or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Never eat livestock or deer that have been sick. For additional information on working with animals exposed to anthrax, see Texas AgriLife Extension Service publication L-5402 by Dr. Bruce Lawhorn.
Things you can do to protect yourself and your family
Remember, our bodies have very powerful immune systems to protect us from infections. Unfortunately, we do many things to keep that system from working to its greatest level of effectiveness. You can help your family have better resistance to infections by:
- Avoiding or quitting tobacco use.
- Avoiding smoking around others, especially children.
- Exercising 30 minutes, 5 times each week.
- Eating 5 fruits and vegetables each day.
- Sleeping 8 hours a night.
- Avoiding more than 2 alcoholic drinks each day.
- Controlling stress.
- Staying current on immunizations—you are far more likely to catch the flu than anthrax.
Remember, most of us will never be exposed to anthrax. There are 280 million people in this country, and only a very small number have developed this disease. Far more people are injured or die every day from not wearing seatbelts, using tobacco, drinking alcohol excessively, being inactive or not getting their immunizations. These are all things we need to be concerned about, and also things that we can change!
Reference: Thomas V., M.D., et al. (May 12, 1999). “Anthrax as a Biological Weapon: Medical and Public Health Management.” Journal of the American Medical Association, 281:18, 1735–1745.
