AETIOLOGY
Bacillus anthracis belongs to the class Bacilli, order Bacil- lales, family Bacillaceae, genus Bacillus. Bacillus anthracii is a Gram-positive, aerobic, immobile, capsulated bacterium and forms spores, which are 1—1.5μm wide and 5—6 μm in length.
In tissue the bacterium is found singly, as clusters or as short chains, whereas from colonies, B. anthracis cells with square ends are arranged in long chains that gives them a particular look, similar to ‘bamboo canes’. Outside the body in environmental temperatures between 14 and 42°C (optimum between 21 and 37°C) B. anthracii will sporulate. The spores are oval, and are released after lysis of the bacterium. Vegetative forms are inactivated within 30 minutes at 60-65°C. The spores are sensitive to destruction with 2—3% formaldehyde solutions at 40° C for 20 minutes, 0.25% at 60°C for 6 hours or 4% after contact of at least 2 hours, and are destroyed by 5% phenol and mercury chloride and 1% solutions of caustic soda and potash.
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