Anthrax‑causing bacteria have dwelled in soil for centuries

 

Throughout history, humans and animals have seeded new lands with Bacillus anthracis spores. The spores are hardy travelers: They can survive for over 50 years and are resilient to dehydration, radiation, toxic chemicals and enzymatic degradation.

Anthrax in early Egypt may have been one of the plagues described in the Bible. Animal husbandry texts in China have described anthrax for millennia. French explorers brought Bacillus anthracis spores to American soil in the early 1700s.

While people usually spread anthrax accidentally, there are infamous examples of anthrax spread on purpose.

In the 1930s and ’40s, Japanese military leaders released anthrax spores in Chinese villages, killing thousands of people. On Sept. 18, 2001, envelopes of spores were mailed to American media and congressional leaders, killing five people.

The weaponized use of Bacillus anthracis spores brings to mind white powder rather than the brown earth where they naturally lie.

This is an article extract by Hannah Kinzer (Ph.D. Candidate in Public Health, Washington University in St. Louis). The full article can be found here. 

 

Pharmaceutical Microbiology Resources (http://www.pharmamicroresources.com/)