Anthrax is the disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, which lives in soil. The bacterial cell lives as a hardy spore to survive harsh conditions. The spores germinate into thriving colonies of bacteria once inside an animal or person. Anthrax usually affects livestock far more than humans, but—as we know from the 2001 anthrax attacks in the United States—anthrax is feared as a modern biological weapon.
Understanding Anthrax