MICROBIO 160 : Biotech Anthrax Questions.doc

• School: UMASS-Amherst
• Department: Microbiology
• Course: MICROBIO 160
• Professor: Mitchell Walkowicz

Document Summary

Various symptoms include staggering, trembling, having difficulty breathing, and collapsing before death. Some animals may shows signs of a fever and a period of excitement followed by a staggering, depressed unconsciousness and possible seizures. Their bodies may also contaminate the soil with anthrax spores, thus causing a chain reaction, so the bodies should not be buried but instead cremated: animals can acquire an anthrax infection in multiple ways. It is most commonly spread by swallowing anthrax spores while grazing on a pasture contaminated with deadly anthrax spores. Animals can also inhale and ingest the spore, which are odorless, colorless, and tasteless. To be fully effective, it must be used before the animal is exposed to the bacteria.