What is "anthrax"

malignant \ma*lig"nant\, a. [L. malignans, -antis, p. pr. of malignare, malignari, to do or make maliciously. See Malign, and cf. Benignant.]

1. Disposed to do harm, inflict suffering, or cause distress; actuated by extreme malevolence or enmity; virulently inimical; bent on evil; malicious.

   A malignant and a turbaned Turk.
   --Shak.

2. Characterized or caused by evil intentions; pernicious. ``Malignant care.''
   --Macaulay.

   Some malignant power upon my life.
   --Shak.

   Something deleterious and malignant as his touch.
   --Hawthorne.

3. (Med.) Tending to produce death; threatening a fatal issue; virulent; as, malignant diphtheria.

   Malignant pustule (Med.), a very contagious disease produced by infection of subcutaneous tissues with the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. It is transmitted to man from animals and is characterized by the formation, at the point of reception of the infection, of a vesicle or pustule which first enlarges and then breaks down into an unhealthy ulcer. It is marked by profound exhaustion and often fatal. The disease in animals is called charbon; in man it is called cutaneous anthrax, and formerly was sometimes called simply anthrax.

Carbuncle \Car"bun*cle\, n. [L. carbunculus a little coal, a bright kind of precious stone, a kind of tumor, dim. of carbo coal: cf. F. carboncle. See Carbon.]

1. (Min.) A beautiful gem of a deep red color (with a mixture of scarlet) called by the Greeks anthrax; found in the East Indies. When held up to the sun, it loses its deep tinge, and becomes of the color of burning coal. The name belongs for the most part to ruby sapphire, though it has been also given to red spinel and garnet.

2. (Med.) A very painful acute local inflammation of the subcutaneous tissue, esp. of the trunk or back of the neck, characterized by brawny hardness of the affected parts, sloughing of the skin and deeper tissues, and marked constitutional depression. It differs from a boil in size, tendency to spread, and the absence of a central core, and is frequently fatal. It is also called anthrax.

3. (Her.) A charge or bearing supposed to represent the precious stone. It has eight scepters or staves radiating from a common center. Called also escarbuncle.

late 14c., "any severe boil or carbuncle," from Latin, from Greek anthrax "charcoal, live coal," also "carbuncle," which is of unknown origin. Specific sense of the malignant disease in sheep and cattle (and occasionally humans) is from 1876.

n. (context pathology English) An acute infectious bacterial disease of herbivores, especially sheep and cattle. It can occur in humans through contact with infected animals, tissue from infected animals, or high concentrations of anthrax spores, but is not usually spread between humans. Symptoms include lesions on the skin or in the lungs, and it is often fatal.

1. n. a highly infectious animal disease (especially cattle and sheep); it can be transmitted to people [syn: splenic fever]

2. a disease of humans that is not communicable; caused by infection with Bacillus anthracis followed by septicemia

3. a species of Bacillus that causes anthrax in humans and in animals (cattle and swine and sheep and sheep and rabbits and mice and guinea pigs); can be used a bioweapon [syn: Bacillus anthracis]

4. [also: anthraces (pl)]

Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. It can occur in four forms: skin, inhalation, intestinal, and injection. Symptoms begin between one day and two months after contracting the infection. The skin form presents with a small blister with surrounding swelling that often turns into a painless ulcer with a black center. The inhalation form presents with fever, chest pain, and shortness of breath. The intestinal form presents with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain. The injection form presents with fever and an abscess at the site of drug injection.

Anthrax is spread by contact with the spores of the bacteria, which are often from infectious animal products. Contact is by breathing, eating, or through an area of broken skin. It does not typically spread directly between people. Risk factors include people who work with animals or animal products, travelers, postal workers, and military personnel. Diagnosis can be confirmed based on finding antibodies or the toxin in the blood or by culture of a sample from the infected site.

The anthrax vaccine is recommended for people who are at high risk. Immunizing animals against anthrax is recommended in areas where previous infections have occurred. Two months of antibiotics, such as doxycycline or ciprofloxacin, after exposure can also prevent infection. If infection occurs treatment is with antibiotics and possibly antitoxin. The type and number of antibiotics used depends on the type of infection. Antitoxin is recommended for those with widespread infection.

Anthrax among people is most common in Africa and central and southern Asia. It also occurs fairly regularly in southern Europe, but is uncommon in northern Europe and North America. Globally, at least 2,000 cases occur a year, with about two cases a year in the United States. Skin infections represent more than 95% of cases. Without treatment the risk of death from skin anthrax is 24%. For intestinal infection the risk of death is 25% to 75% while in inhaled anthrax despite treatment it is around 50% to 80%. Until the 20th century, anthrax infections killed hundreds of thousands of people and other animals each year. Anthrax has been developed as a weapon by a number of countries. In plant eating animals infection occurs when they eat or breathe in the spores while grazing. Carnivores may become infected by eating infected animals.

Anthrax is an American thrash metal band from New York City, formed in 1981 by guitarist Scott Ian and bassist Dan Lilker. The group was considered one of the leaders of the thrash metal scene during the 1980s. Of the "Big Four" thrash metal bands (the others being Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer), Anthrax were the only band from the East Coast. As of 2016, the band has released eleven studio albums, a number of singles and a single with American hip hop group Public Enemy. According to Nielsen SoundScan, Anthrax sold 2.5 million records in the United States from 1991 to 2004, with worldwide sales of 10 million.

Noted for its live performances, Anthrax signed with the independent label Megaforce Records (which released the band's debut studio album in 1984). Lilker soon left the band to form Nuclear Assault, and was replaced by roadie Frank Bello. Vocalist Neil Turbin was replaced after two years by Matt Fallon who was then subsequently replaced in 1985 by Joey Belladonna. With a new lineup, the band recorded Spreading the Disease (distributed by Island Records) in 1985. Anthrax's third album, Among the Living, was released in 1987 to critical praise. The band experienced another lineup change in 1992, when John Bush replaced Belladonna as lead vocalist. Sound of White Noise was released the following year, peaking at number seven on the Billboard 200. Studio recordings during the 1990s saw the band, influenced by other genres, experimenting with its sound.

Anthrax's lineup has changed several times over their career. The band has had a number of vocalists including Neil Turbin, Joey Belladonna, Dan Nelson and John Bush. Founding member Scott Ian and early arrival Charlie Benante, who joined Anthrax in 1983, are the only band members to appear on every album. Bassist Frank Bello has played on every album except the band's debut Fistful of Metal, which featured Dan Lilker. In 2010, Joey Belladonna returned to Anthrax and has since recorded two more studio albums with the band, Worship Music, released in 2011, and For All Kings released in 2016.

Anthrax were an anarcho punk band formed in Gravesend, Kent, England in 1980. They recorded their first demo in 1981 and went on to release two 7" EPs on Crass Records and Small Wonder Records. They appeared on compilations released by Crass Records, Mortarhate Records and Fightback Records. They toured outside the UK twice in the Netherlands with Dutch band The Ex.

In 2007 the band issued a compilation album, One Last Drop, which included demos, both EPs, the Mortarhate compilation track and two live tracks.

The band reformed in 2010, releasing new (and debut) album All for the Cause in 2012. Two split singles followed in 2015.

Anthrax is a genus of bombyliid flies, commonly known as "bee-flies" due to their resemblance to bees. Most are dull black flies, and are usually small to medium in size, , and many species have striking wing patterns.

Anthrax is a very large genus. While worldwide in distribution, most species are from the Palaearctic and Afrotropic regions. The genus includes species parasitic on tiger beetles – an unusual trait among the bee-flies. A. anthrax larvae parasitize bees. Many North American species parasitize solitary wasps.

The type species is Musca morio Linnaeus, 1758, later found to be a misidentification of Musca anthrax Schrank, 1781.

Anthrax is an acute disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis.

Anthrax may also refer to:

• Bacillus anthracis, the bacterium responsible for anthrax, the disease
  • Anthrax toxin, the virulent proteins secreted by Bacillus anthracis
  • 2001 anthrax attacks, in which letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to US media outlets and politicians
• Anthrax (fly), a genus of bombyliid flies
• Anthrax (American band), an American thrash metal band
  • "Anthrax", a song by that band from their album Fistful of Metal
• Anthrax (UK band), a British anarcho-punk band
• Anthrax, a fictional character seen in the video game Shrek SuperSlam
• Anthrax (film), a 2001 film starring David Keith
• Castle Anthrax, a fictional fortress in the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail
• Los Ántrax, a Mexican gang