The disease Anthrax is caused by the bacteria Bacillus anthracis.
Anthrax is an ancient disease of livestock and humans known since biblical times.
In the past anthrax has also been known as malignant edema and woolsorter's disease. Today is much less of a problem, with 2000-5000 cases annually worldwide, and about 5 cases a year in the United States, although it serves as a great risk for use as a biological weapon. In 1979, a Russian biological weapons plant leaked a very small amount of anthrax into the air. Over the next few weeks, hundreds of people were infected, and killed, from inhaled anthrax. Anthrax is usually found in sheep, cattle and horses, but ban be transmitted to humans who contact infected animals or their products.