Anthrax is an acute infectious disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis .
Anthrax most commonly occurs in warm-blooded animals, but can also infect man. When inhaled by humans, these particles cause respiratory failure and death within a week. Anthrax is most common in agricultural regions where it occurs in animals. These include South and Central America, Southern and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. When anthrax affects humans, it is usually due to an occupational exposure to infected animals or their products.