The employee at NBC who contracted anthrax in the October 2001 incident in the US has cutaneous anthrax. Inhalation anthrax is usually fatal. During the Ocotber 2001 incident in the US, an employee of a Florida tabloid publishing company contracted inhalation anthrax and died. Initial signs include nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting and fever, followed by abdominal pain, vomiting blood and severe diarrhoea. Between 25 percent and 60 percent of cases are fatal.
Anthrax is global.
It is more common in developing countries or countries without veterinary public health programs. It is not contagious. Doctors can prescribe effective antibiotics. To be effective, treatment should be initiated early. If left untreated, the disease can be fatal.