Soilborne Bacterial Diseases I-1d. Anthrax Bacillus anthracis , are gram positive facultative spore forming rods, with capsules. Separately they are non toxic but in pairs they produce 2 different toxic responses. EF and PA cause edema and LF and PA cause lethality. Anthrax is zoonotic, caused by horse, sheep and cattle.
Transmission is by infected milk, undercooked meat and inhaled spores.
Treatment - Penicillins, streptomycin, tetracyclines and erythromycin. The most effective control is vaccination of cattle and cremation of infected animals. The agent is Clostridium tetani which are anaerobic gram positive spore forming rods, that are motile by peritrichous flagella. Toxins are coded for by a plasmid. Complications are due to a neurotoxin called Tetanospasmin that blocks inhibition of nerves of the central nervous system.