Anthrax

This has GOT to be one of the scariest diseases around, shame my high school only mentioned it once.

There were/are several 'anthrax islands' around, with Gruinard Island being one of the best-known islands. Apparently, there are 0 inhabitants, as weaponized anthrax was being tested on this island on sheep. Within days, all animals died of respiratory distress and shock, showing anthrax's potential as a biowarfare weapon. They burned down the island to decontaminate it, but when they reintroduced sheep, anthrax quickly returned.
Sometime ago, they sprayed formaldehyde mixed with seawater on the island, and upon reintroducing a flock of sheep, no animals were infected with anthrax, making it a safe island again.

Bacterial/Viral/Fungal/Parasitic: Bacterial
Causative agent: Bacillus anthracis 
Incubation time: about 8 days
Antibiotics of choice: Ciprofloxacin
Toxins / Factors: Lethal factor (LF), Edema factor (EF), Protective antigen (PA) (AB)
Bioterrorism agent category: A
Vaccine available: Yes (Toxoid: contains inactive toxins)[1]


Bacillus anthracis
It is a gram-positive, rod-shaped bacterium, capable of producing endospores, making them resistant to heat and drought. Their capsules enhance their ability to be spread through aerosols, and some strains are immune to phagocytosis.[1]

Three different forms of anthrax
- Cutaneous anthrax
This form of anthrax is contracted when B. anthracis endospores come in contact with abraded skin.
It generally only produces mild disease in the form of lesions. Since anthrax is controlled through destruction of infected livestock, this form is generally very rare in the developed world.
Cutaneous anthrax may cause localized necrosis (tissue death), and it's generally nonlethal.[1]
- Gastrointestinal anthrax
This form of anthrax is contracted when you consume contaminated food/drinks. Since B. anthracis is a soil inhabitant, plants can have endospores on them. Animals, especially ruminants, are quick to contract the disease, making them a potential source of B. anthracis.[1]
Some symptoms are (bloody) diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, mouth sores, nausea and vomiting.[2]
- Pulmonary anthrax
This is by far the most dangerous form of anthrax, as it's easy to spread and because it causes severe disease or death in this form. Live bacteria or endospores can be inhaled, and once inside the lungs, the bacteria's toxins cause edema and cell death. Common symptoms are a sore throat, fever, muscle aches, severe respiratory distress and systemic shock. You need to inhale about 8000 to 50.000 endospores before you get the disease, and because anthrax control is tightly regulated, naturally acquired pulmonary anthrax is very rare. Most cases of pulmonary anthrax were caused by biological warfare.
Fatality rates are about 90% for anthrax when treatment is started in time, and nearly 100% if left untreated or if the treatment was started too late.[1]

Sources of anthrax
Its natural reservoirs are cattle, swine, goats, and horses. As a result of this, infection can occur through consuming animal products, or otherwise touching animals with endospores on them.
Plants, meat, soil, milk and other animal products can have endospores on/in them.
Since the endospores are heat and drought resistant, you can cook the goods for as long as you'd like, but it wouldn't work. Anthrax control happens through destruction of infected livestock.
Biological weaponry can also contain strains of B. anthracis.[1]

Prevention
Vaccines may be given to military personnel and a select few other members of the general public (like veterinarians and farmers)
Antibiotics may be given to people who might have come in contact with the endospores.[2]


[1] Madigan, M., Martinko, J., Stahl, D., Clark, D., Brock Biology of Microorganisms, 2011, Pearson
[2] A.D.A.M., Anthrax, June 9th, 2011,
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002301/