About this topic
Anthrax is a disease caused by a germ found in dirt. It can easily spread in the form of spores. A spore is very small. You cannot easily see it, smell it, or taste it. It takes thousands of spores for you to become infected. These spores may grow and become harmful germs that can affect different parts of your body. ‚
You cannot spread anthrax from person to person. You can catch this disease in a few different ways. You may touch or come in contact with an animal that has the infection. If you eat meat that is not cooked the right way and the animal had the infection, you may get sick. You may also breathe in the anthrax spores. ‚
Anthrax has been used by terrorists as a weapon for warfare. This is because anthrax can: ‚
- Live for a long period of time
- Spread spores in the air
- Cause serious or fatal signs in a short period of time to a lot of people
What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Take drugs as directed by your doctor. Do not miss doses of your drugs. If you forget a dose, take it as soon as possible. If it is within a few hours of the next dose, skip it and take the next dose. You must take all of the drugs prescribed to fight the infection.
- If you have sores on your skin, talk with your doctor about how to care for them.
What follow-up care is needed?
Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits. ‚
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Kill the germs
- Help other signs like pain, swelling, or breathing problems
Will physical activity be limited?
You may have to limit your activity. Talk to your doctor about the right amount of activity for you. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Infection may spread to the bloodstream
- Swelling and bleeding of the tissues around your brain and spinal cord
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Get a shot against anthrax.
- Avoid contact with infected animals.
- If you have a wound, protect your wound or avoid close contact with animals until your wound fully heals.
- Avoid touching any discharge coming from an infected wound.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of skin infections. These include boil-like skin lesions; sore on your face, arms or hands; skin ulcers with black patches; or skin color or any changes happen.
- Signs of GI infections. These include throwing up blood, swelling, very bad loose stools, trouble swallowing, bloody stools, belly pain, or loss of appetite.
- Signs of lung infections. These include fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills, very bad sore throat, ear or sinus pain, colds, shortness of breath, chest discomfort, or cough.
- Worsening lung infections
- You are not feeling better in 2 to 3 days or you are feeling worse
Helpful tips
If you receive suspicious mail, packages, or powdery substances: ‚
- Do not open mail or packages if you do not know where they came from.
- Do not shake, smell, or taste any packages.
- Wash your hands with warm water and soap.
- Call your local public safety department.
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my condition.
- I can tell you how to care for any sores on my skin.
- I can tell you ways to help prevent this infection.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have a fever, sores, throwing up blood, or lung problems.
Where can I learn more?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ‚
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/anthrax/needtoknow.asp ‚
KidsHealth ‚
http://kidshealth.org/teen/infections/intestinal/anthrax.html ‚
National Organization for Rare Diseases ‚
http://www.rarediseases.org/rare-disease-information/rare-diseases/byID/1117/viewAbstract ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚