Definition:

Anthrax is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, a Gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium belonging to the Bacillus cereus group of pathogenic Bacillus, which also includes a food poisoning bacterium Bacillus cereus [DS:H00329] and an insect pathogen Bacillus thuringiensis [DS:H01399]. Human infections can occur from infected animals or animal products through three main routes: skin (cutaneous), lung (inhalation) and mouth (gastrointestinal). The disease is rare, but the potential threat of anthrax spores in bioterrorism is widely recognized.