Pathogenic Bacterium (Essay Sample)

Name
Professor
Course
Date
Pathogenic Bacterium: Bacillus anthracis
Anthrax is a very rare type of bacterial disease. The disease is very serious when it occurs and in most cases fatal. The bacterium, Bacillus anthracis, is what causes the disease. Anthrax is said to be acute because it has a rapid onset. The word anthrax is a Greek word for coal; thus the disease was named so because the infected victims have a characteristic black skin lesions. (Spencer 182) The bacterium, Bacillus anthracis was identified in 1875 by Robert Koch. Robert Koch was able to determine the lifecycle and the transmission of the disease. The first human vaccine for anthrax disease became available in 1954.
Transmission
Most anthrax infections occur through contact and consumption of affected meat. In the infections and contagious form, anthrax disease is in a spore form. Transmission of the disease can be by insect vectors such as flies. Anthrax infection can occur when the spores enter the body through an open wound, a cut or abrasion. The infection can also occur by ingestion as well as inhalation of the spore. It is important, however, to note that the disease does not usually spread from an infected human to a non-infected human.
Symptoms
As earlier revealed, anthrax disease occurs through contact (cutaneous), Inhalation (pulmonary) and ingestion (gastrointestinal). Each of these ways has unique signs and symptoms. When it occurs through the inhalation, the victim will experience flu-like symptoms for several days. These symptoms include fever, chills, shivering, and loss of appetite, nausea, and malaise. Pneumonia and severe respiratory collapse will follow these symptoms. This respiratory collapse is fatal in most cases. (Spencer 184)
When the disease occurs through ingestion, the victim usually experiences gastrointestinal difficulty. The victim will vomit blood, experience severe diarrhea, loss of appetite, and acute inflammation of the intestinal tract. Lesions may also form in the intestines, the mouth and throat of the patient. (Spencer 184)
When the disease occurs through contact with the skin (Hide Porter’s disease), the patient’s skin will have first boil-like lesions. After some time, the boil-like lesions will form ulcers with black center referred to as eschar. This type of anthrax is usually not fatal if treated since there is a limitation of the infection to the skin. (Spencer 183)
Prevention and treatment
Prevention of occurrence of anthrax disease can be by; vaccination, avoiding contact with infected body fluids, and also by not taking infected meat. Advancement in the field of medicine has resulted in the development of vaccines against anthrax disease for use in both human and livestock. (Spencer 185) Examples of currently administered vaccines are acellular and live spore vaccines. The FDA has approved by FDA for use. It is also a good practice that if a person is suspected to have died fr...