Anthrax, Biology

Assignment Help:

Anthrax

It is also known as spleenic fever. The peracute form of the disease in animals is manifested by sudden death with oozing of dark-coloured blood from body openings.

Etiology: The disease is caused by gram positive spore forming bacilli Bacillus anthracis. It has zoonotic importance as human beings suffer from "Wool sorter 's disease".The disease has been reported from throughout the world resulting in high morbidity and mortality rates.

Pathogenesis: The deaths are caused due to shock, acute renal failure and terminal anoxia.

Clinical signs : In cattle, buffaloes and sheep, disease occurs in peracute or acute form. In peracute form, the animals die suddenly, within 2 h of bleeding from mouth, nostrils and anus. Before death, these animals suffer from fever, muscular tremors, dyspnoea and convulsions. In acute disease, the animals survive for 3-4 days and reveal hyperpyrexia, depression and edematous swelling of tongue, throat and flank areas. Respiration and heart rates are elevated while ruminal movements are absent. Visible mucous membranes are congested with haemorrhagic spots on them. In horses, disease occur in acute form and show hyperpyrexia, depression and dyspnoea. If the organisms are ingested, they suffer from enteritis and colic. Pigs suffer from acute or subacute form of the disease and reveal temperature rise, anorexia, swelling of throat and face, dysentery and blood tinged froth. The skin may have petechial haemorrhages.

In human beings, skin infection is more common resulting into ulcerations of skin. However, if the organisms are inhaled, they show lobar pneumonia, exudative pleurisy and death.

The carcass is not to be opened if death is suspected due to anthrax. However, the organisms can be seen in the blood or edematous fluid. Typical postmortem lesions are presence of dark-coloured, unclotted blood, absence of rigor mortis, rapid carcass decomposition, presence of echymotic haemorrhages on whole body and soft, liquefied, enlarged spleen.

Diagnosis: The disease is diagnosed by history and its typical symptoms and confirmed by isolation of organisms from blood or edematous fluid. Blood (2 ml) from suspected cases can be injected subcutaneously in guinea pigs resulting in death in 2-3 days. Ascolis test can be performed for its confirmation by preparing antigen from piece of ear or spleen of infected animal and then performing immunodiffusion test.

The disease has to be differentiated from peracute black quarter, lead toxicity, acute leptospirosis and bacillary haemoglobinuria. Peracute form of black quarter reveals crepitating swelling, while in lead toxicity, nervous symptoms are more pronounced. In acute leptospirosis and bacillary haemoglobinuria, presence of haemoglobinuria is a consistent finding.

Treatment: Anti-anthrax serum along with broad-spectrum antibiotics can be used for treatment. Antiserum is given @ 100-250 ml by intravenous route. Penicillin (10,000 units/kg body weight), streptomycin (8-10 g) or oxytetracycline (5 mg/kg body weight) given twice daily by intramuscular route for 4-5 days is effective.

Control: The carcass should be buried deep with sufficient lime. For cleaning of floor and other materials, 5-10% NaOH or formalin may be used. KMnO4 (4%) kills the spores in 30 min. Live anthrax spore vaccine is available which is given @ 1 ml subcutaneously in all the animals.


Related Discussions:- Anthrax

Explain activators, Activators Activity  of many  enzymes is  influence...

Activators Activity  of many  enzymes is  influenced by  certain ions called as activators. Large number of enzymes such as hexokinase that require ATF are also in need of diva

Criteria to complete evolutionary branch of vertebrates, What are the six c...

What are the six criteria used to build a complete evolutionary branch of vertebrates? Dichotomy in each of the six following criteria builds the vertebrate evolutionary branch

Determine the enzymes utilization in food industry, Enzymes utilization in ...

Enzymes utilization in food industry  Enzymes may be used in industry as components of living cells or after isolation in free or immobilized forms. All of them may be referred

Describe other concerns in congenital heart disease, Describe Other Concer...

Describe Other Concerns in Adults with Congenital Heart Disease ? Infective endocarditis prophylaxis: The standard guidelines for infective endocarditis prophylaxis should be

What is hypertrichosis of the ear, In humans, attached earlobes are a domin...

In humans, attached earlobes are a dominant feature over free earlobes while hypertrichosis of the ear is a holandric (Y-linked) feature. A person with attached earlobes and extens

Where is the gall bladder located, Where is the gall bladder located? T...

Where is the gall bladder located? The gall bladder is located in the Upper Right Quadrant (URQ) of the abdomen just below the liver. It keeps bile secreted by the liver. The d

Introduction of formation of soil, FORMATION OF SOIL Evolution of Eart...

FORMATION OF SOIL Evolution of Earth took place five to eight billion years ago when it was a red hot magma (molten rock). It took millions of years for the magma to cool down

Parthenogenesis, Parthenogenesis The diploid egg produced in the embr...

Parthenogenesis The diploid egg produced in the embryo sacs during diplospory and apospory develops into an embryo without fertilization, thus maintaining the sporophytic lev

Describe chemical equation of photosynthesis?, Q. What is the chemical equa...

Q. What is the chemical equation of photosynthesis? The chemical equation of photosynthesis is given below: 6 CO 2 + 6 H 2 O + light --> C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6 O 2

Effect of metamorphic hormones on gene expression, Effect of Metamorphic Ho...

Effect of Metamorphic Hormones on Gene Expression Effect of metamorphic hormones on gene expression in moulting and metamorphosing insects, the first report of a particular ho

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd