Am I At Risk Of Getting Anthrax?

Are you in the military and deployed in an area with a high risk of anthrax exposure?

Do you work with anthrax in a laboratory setting?

Do you work as a mail handler, law enforcement personnel, healthcare worker, decontamination worker and critical infrastructure worker?

Do you handle animal skins, fur or wool from areas with a high frequency of anthrax?

Are you a veterinarian (especially if you deal with livestock)?

Do you hunt game animals (like deer)?

Do you often travel to the agricultural regions of Central and South America, Sub-Saharan Africa, Central and Southwest Asia, Southern and Eastern Europe and the Caribbean?

Do you make or play animal hide drums?

Do you use illegal drugs, such as heroin?

Based on your answers you have a low risk of getting anthrax. Anthrax is a severe disease caused by a bacterium known as Bacillus anthracis. The bacteria can be found naturally in the soil and often infect domestic and wild animals. People can become infected by inhaling anthrax spores, drinking or eating contaminated water or food, or by contact with infected animals. Also, anthrax spores can enter your body through a cut on the skin. The bacteria multiply in the body and release toxins that lead to serious illness. Anthrax is rare in the U.S., but can still occur sporadically in some wild or domestic animals.

Based on your answers you have a moderate risk of getting anthrax. Anthrax is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium called Bacillus anthracis. Anthrax is not a contagious disease, which means that it cannot be transmitted from one person to another like the flu. Most people will never come into contact with anthrax. However, if you are a laboratory worker who handles anthrax without taking appropriate precautions, you may be at risk of contracting anthrax. Also, veterinarians, livestock breeders and farmers who are in frequent contact with animals and animal products (wool, skin or hair) have a higher risk of exposure than others.

Based on your answers you have a high risk of getting anthrax. Anthrax is a serious but rare disease that can still be found in the agricultural regions of Central and South America, Sub-Saharan Africa, Central and Southwest Asia, Southern and Eastern Europe and the Caribbean. If you travel to these areas, you must be careful not to eat raw or undercooked meat and to avoid contact with livestock. Anthrax was used as a biological weapon in the United States in 2011 (anthrax spores were sent by mail), and anyone who came in contact with the letters was at high risk of getting anthrax.