Todayโs path rounds are on ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐๐ฑ!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
๐๐ง๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐๐ฑ is a bacterial disease that causes severe ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ฌ (inflammation of the lymphatic vessels) and ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ (blood infection), and has a high mortality rate.
๐๐ก๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
Ruminants and other herbivores are most severely affected, however this disease can affect many different species, even humans!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
Anthrax is caused by ๐๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐๐๐ข๐ฌ, which is a unique spore-forming bacteria. The spores of this bacteria are typically found in soil, and often outbreaks of anthrax occur after the soil has been disturbed by construction or heavy rainfall.
These spores are what causes the initial infection in the animal, when they are inhaled, eaten or enter into open wounds. After entering the animal, the spores are transported to nearby lymph nodes, where they set up shop. From there, the bacteria can enter the bloodstream, which is a major site of infection and bacterial proliferation.
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ?
The massive septicemia caused by anthrax can quickly cause death, often within about 24 hours. This is because anthrax produces toxins that cause ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ (cell death) leading to widespread tissue destruction. The classic sign of an animal that has died from anthrax is profuse amounts of blood exuding from the nose, mouth and anus.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ฌ๐๐?
The first thing to know about anthrax is ๐๐จ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ! Opening the animal exposes you and the environment to the infective spores. So not only can you get infected with anthrax, the environment will also be contaminated with these notoriously difficult to remove spores. This can potentially lead to infection of other people or animals that stumble upon your previous necropsy location.
To diagnose this disease, a small blood sample is taken and analyzed under a microscope. The bacteria in the blood form pairs or short chains that look a bit like train cars. Based on this finding, a diagnosis can be made, and the carcass can be disposed of properly.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐? ๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐?
Anthrax can be treated if caught quickly, by using appropriate antibiotics. However, the chances of catching the infection early enough is very low. In areas where anthrax is common, vaccination is one of the best prevention method, along with thorough environmental cleaning and avoiding potential sources of contamination like disrupted soil.
๐๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ฌ
1-2) Engorged spleens are the classic necropsy finding of anthraxโฆ but you should never get to this point!
3-4) Train cars of Bacillus in the blood.
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ
Maxie, G. Jubb, Kennedy and Palmerโs Pathology of Domestic Animals, Volume 3. Sixth Edition.
Photos 1-4 ยฉ Noahโs Arkive contributor King licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
