Anthrax
The mail-order mother of all biological weapons. Anthrax is an acute disease caused by Bacillus anthracis. It affects both humans and other animals. Most forms of the disease are lethal. There are effective vaccines against anthrax, and some forms of the disease respond well to antibiotic treatment. Like many other members of the genus Bacillus, Bacillus anthracis can form dormant spores that are able to survive in harsh conditions for extremely long periods of time—even decades or centuries. Such spores can be found on all continents, even Antarctica. When spores are inhaled, ingested, or come into contact with a skin lesion on a host they may reactivate and multiply rapidly.
Each microbe comes with a description of the disease it causes or function it performs. Surface washable, air dry. |
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