What exactly is anthrax, and should you be worried about it?
Anthrax is an infection caused by a bacterium (a type of germ)
called Bacillus anthracis (B. anthracis). Although it's most
commonly seen in grazing animals like sheep, pigs, cattle,
horses, and goats, anthrax also can occur in humans — although
it's very rare. In the environment, the anthrax-causing
bacterium forms spores (a version of the germ covered by a hard
protective shell) that can live in the soil for years. People
can become infected by coming into contact with these spores
through a break in the skin (such as a cut or scrape), by eating
food (usually undercooked meat) contaminated by them, or by
inhaling spores (breathing them into the lungs). But anthrax is
not contagious, which means that it can't spread from person to
person. It's extremely unlikely that you or someone you know
could get anthrax. In fact, there are usually only one or two
reported cases of anthrax per year. Most of these have been in
people who work with animals or ani