Anthrax is an acute disease in humans and animals caused by Bacillus anthracis, which is highly lethal in all forms. There are effective vaccines against anthrax, and some forms of the disease respond well to antibiotic treatment. The anthrax bacillus is one of only a few that can form long-lived spores: in a hostile environment, caused perhaps by the death of an infected host or extremes of temperature, the bacteria produce inactive dormant spores which can remain viable for many decades and perhaps centuries. These spores are found on all continents except Antarctica. When spores are inhaled, ingested, or come into contact with a skin lesion on a host they reactivate and multiply rapidly.

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Anthrax is an acute disease in humans and animalscaused by Bacillus anthracis, which is highly lethal in all forms. There are effective vaccines against anthrax, and some forms of the disease respond well to antibiotictreatment. The anthrax bacillus is one of only a few that can form long-lived spores: in a hostile environment, causedperhaps by the death of an infected host or extremes of temperature, the bacteria produce inactive dormantspores which can remain viable for many decades and perhaps centuries. These spores are found on all continentsexcept Antarctica. When spores are inhaled, ingested, orcome into contact with a skin lesion on a host they reactivate and multiply rapidly.