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Goel AK. Anthrax: A disease of biowarfare and public health importance. World J Clin Cases. 2015;3(1):20-33doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v3.i1.20.
Goel, A. K. (2015). Anthrax: A disease of biowarfare and public health importance. World journal of clinical cases, 3(1), 20-33. https://doi.org/10.12998/wjcc.v3.i1.20
Goel, Ajay Kumar. "Anthrax: A disease of biowarfare and public health importance." World journal of clinical cases vol. 3,1 (2015): 20-33. doi: https://doi.org/10.12998/wjcc.v3.i1.20
Goel AK. Anthrax: A disease of biowarfare and public health importance. World J Clin Cases. 2015 Jan 16;3(1):20-33. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v3.i1.20. PMID: 25610847; PMCID: PMC4295216.
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World J Clin Cases. 2015 Jan 16;3(1):20-33. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v3.i1.20.

Anthrax: A disease of biowarfare and public health importance.

World journal of clinical cases

Ajay Kumar Goel

Affiliations

  1. Ajay Kumar Goel, Biotechnology Division, Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior 474002, India.

PMID: 25610847 PMCID: PMC4295216 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v3.i1.20

Abstract

Bioterrorism has received a lot of attention in the first decade of this century. Biological agents are considered attractive weapons for bioterrorism as these are easy to obtain, comparatively inexpensive to produce and exhibit widespread fear and panic than the actual potential of physical damage. Bacillus anthracis (B. anthracis), the etiologic agent of anthrax is a Gram positive, spore forming, non-motile bacterium. This is supposed to be one of the most potent BW agents because its spores are extremely resistant to natural conditions and can survive for several decades in the environment. B. anthracis spores enter the body through skin lesion (cutaneous anthrax), lungs (pulmonary anthrax), or gastrointestinal route (gastrointestinal anthrax) and germinate, giving rise to the vegetative form. Anthrax is a concern of public health also in many countries where agriculture is the main source of income including India. Anthrax has been associated with human history for a very long time and regained its popularity after Sept 2001 incidence in United States. The present review article describes the history, biology, life cycle, pathogenicity, virulence, epidemiology and potential of B. anthracis as biological weapon.

Keywords: Anthrax; Bacillus anthracis; Biological warfare; Epidemiology; Infection; Public health

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