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Abstract

Bacillus anthracis is a Gram-positive, spore-forming soil bacterium that is closely related to Bacillus cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis. Infections with Bacillus anthracis result in a disease called anthrax (Mock and Fouet 2001; Sylvestre et al. 2002). Anthrax is primarily an infection of grazing cattle. Ingested spores germinate within the host to the vegetative form. Vegetative cells multiply, disseminate in the host organism, and kill the host by their virulence factors. Upon contact with air and depending on other environmental factors, the vegetative cells start to sporulate to form the dormant, durable spores again. B. anthracis spores are remarkably resistant to physical stress such as extreme temperatures, radiation, harsh chemicals, desiccation, and physical damage. These properties allow them to persist in the soil for decades (Nicholson et al. 2000). Human anthrax infections are very rare and only occur when humans are closely exposed to infected animals, tissue from infected animals or when they are directly exposed to B. anthracis spores (Quinn and Turnbull 1998). Depending on the route of infection, anthrax can occur in three forms: cutaneous, gastrointestinal or inhalation anthrax.