Anthrax historical perspective: Difference between revisions
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===Wool Sorters Disease=== | ===Wool Sorters Disease=== | ||
During the 1800s, doctors saw cases of [[anthrax]] but did not yet have a [[diagnosis]] for the disease. During this time, the organism that causes [[anthrax]] had not yet been discovered, but doctors had noticed a link between the disease and the animal hair industry. Because of this, the disease became known as “wool sorters disease.” By the middle of the century, early researchers had associated the disease with the presence of [[rod]]-shaped bodies that were seen in the [[blood]] of [[infected]] animals. These bodies were eventually identified as [[bacteria]] and given the name [[Bacillus anthracis]]. | During the 1800s, doctors saw cases of [[anthrax]] but did not yet have a [[diagnosis]] for the disease. During this time, the organism that causes [[anthrax]] had not yet been discovered, but doctors had noticed a link between the disease and the animal hair industry. Because of this, the disease became known as “wool sorters disease.” By the middle of the century, early researchers had associated the disease with the presence of [[rod]]-shaped bodies that were seen in the [[blood]] of [[infected]] animals. These bodies were eventually identified as [[bacteria]] and given the name [[Bacillus anthracis]]. | ||
===First Anthrax Vaccine=== | |||
In 1881, Louis Pasteur, another prominent scientist, took Koch’s work a step further, trying to fully prove how [[anthrax]] was spread and how it made people or animals sick. Pasteur also worked to create a [[vaccine]] for [[anthrax]]. In his experiment, Pasteur gave 25 animals two shots of an [[anthrax vaccine]] he had created with weakened [[Bacillus anthracis|anthrax bacteria]]. After he gave both rounds of the [[vaccine]] to these animals, he injected them with live [[Bacillus anthracis|anthrax bacteria]]. He also injected live [[Bacillus anthracis|bacteria]] into 25 other animals that had not been [[vaccinated]]. Each of the [[vaccinated]] animals survived, while the 25 that were not [[vaccinated]] died. | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 21:53, 15 July 2014
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: João André Alves Silva, M.D. [2]
Overview
Historical perspective
Ancient Origins of Anthrax
Anthrax is thought to have originated in Egypt and Mesopotamia. Many scholars think that in Moses’ time, during the 10 plagues of Egypt, anthrax may have caused what was known as the fifth plague, described as a sickness affecting horses, cattle, sheep, camels and oxen. Ancient Greece and Rome were also well acquainted with anthrax, and this is illustrated in many of the ancient writings of the most famous scholars from those times. For example, many scholars think anthrax was depicted by Homer in the Iliad from 1230 BC and by Virgil in 70-90 BC. Some even suggest that anthrax may have contributed to the fall of Rome. The first clinical descriptions of cutaneous anthrax were given by Maret in 1752 and Fournier in 1769. Before this, anthrax had only been described through historical accounts.
Koch Postulates
In 1877, Scientist Robert Koch studied Bacillus anthracis, the bacterium that causes anthrax. He discovered that the bacteria formed spores that were able to survive for very long periods of time and in many different environments. Koch decided to use anthrax bacteria in one of his most important historical experiments, in which he isolated and grew Bacillus anthracis in pure culture and injected animals with the bacteria. Using what he observed in this study, he described how the microbe he injected into the animals caused the disease. From these studies, he was also able to determine the life cycle of the anthrax bacteria and was able to demonstrate what became known as Koch’s postulates, which demonstrate a causal relationship between a specific microorganism and a disease.
Wool Sorters Disease
During the 1800s, doctors saw cases of anthrax but did not yet have a diagnosis for the disease. During this time, the organism that causes anthrax had not yet been discovered, but doctors had noticed a link between the disease and the animal hair industry. Because of this, the disease became known as “wool sorters disease.” By the middle of the century, early researchers had associated the disease with the presence of rod-shaped bodies that were seen in the blood of infected animals. These bodies were eventually identified as bacteria and given the name Bacillus anthracis.
First Anthrax Vaccine
In 1881, Louis Pasteur, another prominent scientist, took Koch’s work a step further, trying to fully prove how anthrax was spread and how it made people or animals sick. Pasteur also worked to create a vaccine for anthrax. In his experiment, Pasteur gave 25 animals two shots of an anthrax vaccine he had created with weakened anthrax bacteria. After he gave both rounds of the vaccine to these animals, he injected them with live anthrax bacteria. He also injected live bacteria into 25 other animals that had not been vaccinated. Each of the vaccinated animals survived, while the 25 that were not vaccinated died.