Anthrax is a rapidly progressing acute infection caused by spore-forming bacteria called Bacillus anthracis . Anthrax most commonly occurs in warm-blooded animals, especially goats, cattle, and sheep , but it can also infect humans. Anthrax spores can be easily produced in a dry form for biological weapons.
Spores can survive many years in adverse conditions and still remain capable of causing disease.
When inhaled by humans, these spores cause respiratory failure, leading to death within a week. Anthrax can make an excellent weapon of mass destruction. The spores may be used as a weapon in a variety of delivery systems. They can be produced in large quantities without sophisticated equipment. All it takes is a single breath of aerosolized anthrax to inhale enough spores to cause the disease.