Anthrax is an acute infectious disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis. It is usually a disease of wild and domestic animals, including cattle, sheep, and goats. However, human infection, while rare, does occur. Human infection usually results from contact with infected animals or their products. However, anthrax has become of interest because of the possibility that a nation or terrorist group might attempt to use it as a weapon of warfare or terrorism. There are three types of anthrax: cutaneous (through the skin), gastrointestinal, and inhalational.
