BACILLUS

Bacillus species
Bacillus anthracis - anthrax
Bacillus cereus - food poisoning

Anthrax
Aetiology
1. Casual agent
 Bacillus anthracis
 spore forming, G(+) bacilli, non - motile, aerobes
 large rods with square ends arranged in long chains
2. Culture
 on blood agar
 colonies  round, cut glass appearance
3. Reaction to physical & chemical agents
 resistant to environmental changes
 persist for years in dry earth
 spores  sterilized by autoclaving
4. Virulence factors
(a) Poly D glutamic acid capsule  antiphagocytic
(b) Anthrax toxin  composed of protective antigen, oedema factor, lethal

Pathogenesis and clinical features

Pathogenesis
 disease of sheep, goats, cattle & horses
 humans are rarely affected by contact with infected animals or their products
Infective form - spores from contaminated soil
Mode of spread
 In human (1) through the injured skin or mucous membrane
(2) by inhalation of spores
In animals - ingestion
Clinical Features
Types: 1. Cutaneous
2. Pulmonary
3. Intestinal

1. Cutaneous Anthrax
 IP  1 - 7 days
 a papule first develops
 then, rapidly changes into vesicle and pustule
 finally a necrotic ulcer forms
 Infection may spread and results in septicemia
 In humans  95% of cases are cutaneous anthrax
 20% of patients of cutaneous anthrax can lead to sepsis,
meningitis and death

2. Pulmonary Anthrax
 IP  6 weeks
 Early manifestations may be haemorrhagic mediastinitis, sepsis, meningitis or haemorrhagic
pulmonary oedema
 haematogenous spread to GI tract and cause bowel ulceration
 can lead to septicemia with very high mortality (within 18 - 48 hours)

3. Intestinal Anthrax
 By eating meats from infected animals
 Abdominal pain, vomiting & bloody diarrhea
Diagnostic Laboratory Test
1. Specimens
 fluid or pus from local lesions
 blood & sputum
2. Stained Smears
 Gram stain  large G(+) rods in chains
3. Culture
 on blood agar
4. Virulence test
 Virulent anthrax culture kill in guinea pig & mice upon injection
5. Serological Test - for detection of antibodies
 Precipitation test
 Haemagglutination test
 ELISA

Prevention & Control

1. Treatment
 many antibiotics are effective
 But must be started early
 Penicillin is satisfactory
 Penicillin + Streptomycin or Gentamycin for inhalational anthrax
2. Immunization
 Active immunization of domestic animals with live attenuated vaccines
 Passive immunization with immune serum
3. Health Education
 Disposal of animal carcasses by burning or by deep burial
 Protective clothing & gloves for banding potentially infective materials.
 Decontamination of animals' products (Autoclaving)