{"id":6160,"date":"2019-02-27T11:12:43","date_gmt":"2019-02-27T16:12:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/epidemiology\/?page_id=6160"},"modified":"2025-08-06T16:45:35","modified_gmt":"2025-08-06T20:45:35","slug":"anthrax","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/epidemiology\/epidemiology\/epidemiology-fact-sheets\/anthrax\/","title":{"rendered":"Anthrax"},"content":{"rendered":"
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What is anthrax?<\/h2>\n

Anthrax is a serious disease caused by Bacillus anthracis<\/em>, a bacterium that forms spores and can be found in soil. There are four types of anthrax: cutaneous (affecting the skin), inhalation (affecting the lungs), gastrointestinal (affecting the digestive system), and injection anthrax (affecting the skin or other body parts).<\/p>\n

Who gets anthrax?<\/h2>\n

Anyone can get anthrax, but it is a rare disease in the United States. Anthrax occurs naturally in certain wild and domestic animals (e.g., cattle, sheep, goats, camels, etc.), most commonly in South and Central America, sub-Saharan Africa, central and southwestern Asia, southern and eastern Europe, and the Caribbean. People who get anthrax usually become infected from contact with infected animals or with meat or products (such as hides or wool) from infected animals while traveling in the countries where the disease is more common or from products imported from those countries.<\/p>\n

How is anthrax spread?<\/h2>\n

Anthrax is not known to spread from one person to another. Bacillus anthracis spores can enter the body in four ways: (1) through skin contact with anthrax spores, such as by touching or handling hides or wool from infected animals, that get into a cut or scrape on the skin; (2) from inhaling anthrax spores from infected animals; (3) from eating contaminated, undercooked meat from infected animals; or (4) from injecting contaminated heroin.<\/p>\n

What are the symptoms of anthrax?<\/h2>\n

The symptoms of anthrax are different, depending on the type of exposure:<\/p>\n