Bacillus anthracis

Bacillus anthracis is a Gram-positive bacterium that is the causative agent of anthrax.¹ While foodborne anthrax cases and outbreaks are extremely rare in most developed countries, cases and outbreaks of foodborne anthrax do regularly occur in a number of developing countries. Typically these cases are linked to consumption of meat from animals that have died of anthrax. While consumption of cattle that died of anthrax^2^ is the most common cause of human foodborne anthrax in these countries, consumption of other animals that have died of anthrax (e.g., hippopotamus^3^) has also been reported in anthrax outbreaks.

Key laboratories studying various aspects of foodborne anthrax in the US and Canada include:

USDA ARS, Eastern Region Res Center, Microbial Food Safety Res Unit, Wyndmoor, PA 19038 USA

USDA, Russell Res Center, Food Safety & Inspect Service, Div Microbiology, Athens, GA 30605 USA

USDA, Richard B Russell Agricultural Research Center, Food Safety & Inspect Service, Off Food Defense & Public Health Response, Athens, GA 30605 USA

USDA, ARS, Environmental Microbial Safety Lab, Animal & Natural Resources Institute, Beltsville, MD 20705 USA

University of Georgia, Center Food Safety, Griffin, GA 30223 USA

University Georgia, Department Food Science & Technology, Griffin, GA 30223 USA

Washington State University, Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Pullman, WA 99164 USA

Washington State University, Department Food Science & Human Nutrition, Pullman, WA 99164 USA

Center for Biological Defense, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA

Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, San Antonio, Texas 78227 USA

Division of Monoclonal Antibodies, Food and Drug Administration, Bethesda, MD 20892

Key laboratories studying various aspects of foodborne anthrax in Europe include:

Key laboratories studying various aspects of foodborne anthrax in South and Latin America include:

Key laboratories studying various aspects of foodborne anthrax in Asia and Australia include:

University of Tasmania, Australian Food Safety Center of Excellence, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia

Additional resources on Bacillus anthracis:
A number of key sources on Bacillus anthracis and anthrax are available.

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/anthrax/

 http://www.rki.de/cln_117/nn_197444/DE/Content/InfAZ/A/Anthrax/Anthrax.html?__nnn=true

 References
¹http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacillus_anthracis
²http://www.promedmail.org/pls/otn/f?p=2400:1001:3174278381084995::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1010,77015
³http://www.promedmail.org/pls/otn/f?p=2400:1001:3403336081161472::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1010,90146

If you want to edit or add to this entry please contact Thomas Malley at tjm255@cornell.edu