Read condition-specific symptoms and clinical context for Bacillus anthracis. A spore-forming soil bacterium of grazing animals that causes anthrax in people who handle infected animals or their products.
PHAC describes B. anthracis as Gram-positive, rod-shaped cells of 1.0 to 1.5 by 3 to 8 micrometres that occur singly or in chains, non-motile, facultatively anaerobic, and forming metabolically dormant, environmentally resistant endospores; some strains produce capsules and exotoxins. PHAC states that at least 2,000 cases of human anthrax occur annually worldwide and that approximately 95% result from handling or processing infected meat or animal products, with human-to-human transmission rare. CDC states that people usually get sick if they come in contact with anthrax spores in infected animals or contaminated animal products, through a cut or scrape in the skin, by breathing them in, or by eating contaminated food or water. The cutaneous form accounts for about 95% of cases and has mortality under 1% with treatment; inhalational anthrax is far more dangerous.
PHAC records the cutaneous form as about 95% of cases, with an incubation period of 12 hours to 7 days and mortality under 1% with treatment. CDC lists the skin signs.
Possible symptoms: A group of itchy, small blisters or bumps; A painless sore with a black centre; Large amount of swelling around the sore; Fever and chills.
PHAC reports mortality under 1% with treatment for the cutaneous form and 5 to 20% dissemination in untreated cases. Anthrax is a notifiable disease in most countries; suspected illness needs urgent clinical and public-health assessment.
PHAC describes a biphasic course with about 4 days of prodromal symptoms followed by a fulminant phase, an incubation period of 1 to 6 days, and mortality of 45% with early treatment rising to 97% once progression occurs.
Possible symptoms: Fever and chills; Heavy sweats; Chest pain, cough or shortness of breath; Confusion or dizziness; Nausea, vomiting or stomach pains; Headache or body aches; Extreme tiredness.
PHAC gives 45% mortality with early treatment and 97% once the illness progresses, so this form is a medical emergency. The severity of this route does not describe the cutaneous form, which is far more common.
PHAC gives an incubation period of 2 to 5 days after ingestion and mortality ranging from 4 to 50%. CDC lists symptoms affecting the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract.
Possible symptoms: Fever and chills; Swelling of neck or neck glands; Sore throat, hoarseness and pain when swallowing; Nausea and vomiting, especially bloody vomiting; Diarrhea or bloody diarrhea; Stomach pain and swelling; Fainting.
PHAC gives mortality of 4 to 50% for this form. It follows eating contaminated meat rather than person-to-person contact.
Contact with spores is not the same as anthrax.
CDC states that people usually get sick if they come in contact with anthrax spores in infected animals or contaminated animal products, and PHAC gives incubation periods ranging from 12 hours to 7 days for the cutaneous route and 1 to 6 days for inhalation. The bundled sources give no symptom list for exposure that does not lead to illness, and none is invented here. This profile also assigns no human carriage state: PHAC describes a soil and animal organism whose host range is humans, livestock and herbivorous wildlife, and notes that human-to-human transmission is rare.
Possible exposure is handled as an urgent public-health matter, with decisions about assessment and prophylaxis made by clinicians and health authorities. This app gives no exposure advice.
Source check: 2026-09-20. Educational content; independent scientific review remains pending.