What are the pathogenicity of anthrax bacteria?

Anthrax is a very serious pathogen that mainly occurs in some animals, such as cattle, sheep and pigs, which have a relatively high incidence rate. It often leads to zoonotic infection. It is also a highly contagious disease that has a great impact on human health. If a person has poor immunity, it may even pose a great threat to life safety. Therefore, it is very necessary to understand the pathogenicity of anthrax.

Humans are mainly infected through industrial and agricultural production. When the body's resistance is reduced, the following diseases may occur when contacting contaminated items:

1. Cutaneous anthrax is most common

It often occurs in slaughterhouses, tanners, wool brush workers and breeders. The bacteria enter the body through damaged areas on the body surface and begin to form boils, blisters, and pustules at the site of invasion. The central part is black and necrotic, and there is infiltration and edema around it. If not treated in time, the bacteria can further invade local lymph nodes or invade the bloodstream, causing sepsis and death.

2. Mediastinal anthrax is rare

It is caused by inhalation of bacterial spores, mostly occurs in fur workers, and has a high mortality rate. The disease initially resembles a cold, but then develops into severe bronchopneumonia, and the patient may die from toxic shock within 2 to 3 days.

3. Intestinal anthrax caused by ingestion of diseased animal meat products

The main symptoms are systemic poisoning, with gastrointestinal ulcers, bleeding and toxemia, and death within 2 to 3 days after onset. If the above diseases cause sepsis, it may lead to "anthrax meningitis". The pathogenicity of Bacillus anthracis depends on the synergistic effect of capsule and toxin.

The disease is mainly caused by the capsule of this fungus and the toxins it produces. The capsule is composed of D-glutamic acid polypeptide, which can inhibit antibodies and resist the phagocytic action of macrophages, and promote the expansion and reproduction of the bacteria after invasion. Its toxins can increase the permeability of microvessels, change the normal blood circulation, damage liver function, interfere with sugar metabolism, and finally lead to death.