Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
noun, plural an·thra·ces [an-thruh-seez] /ˈæn θrəˌsiz/. Pathology.
- an infectious, often fatal disease of cattle, sheep, and other mammals, caused by Bacillus anthracis, transmitted to humans by contaminated wool, raw meat, or other animal products.
- a malignant carbuncle that is the diagnostic lesion of anthrax disease in humans.
noun plural -thraces (-θrəˌsiːz)
- a highly infectious and often fatal disease of herbivores, esp cattle and sheep, characterized by fever, enlarged spleen, and swelling of the throat. Carnivores are relatively resistant. It is caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis and can be transmitted to man
- a pustule or other lesion caused by this disease
late 14c., “any severe boil or carbuncle,” from Latin, from Greek anthrax “charcoal, live coal,” also “carbuncle,” of unknown origin. Specific sense of the malignant disease in sheep and cattle (and occasionally humans) is from 1876.
n.
- An infectious, usually fatal disease of warm-blooded animals that is characterized by ulcerative skin lesions, can be transmitted to humans, and is caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis.carbuncle
- A lesion caused by anthrax.
- An infectious, usually fatal disease of mammals, especially cattle and sheep, caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. The disease is transmitted to humans through cutaneous contact, ingestion, or inhalation. Cutaneous anthrax is marked by the formation of a necrotic skin ulcer, high fever, and toxemia. Inhalation anthrax leads to severe pneumonia that is usually fatal.
An infectious disease transmitted by a bacterium in animals, which can also be transmitted to humans. Often fatal if the bacterium enters the lungs, anthrax is usually treated by antibiotics. Anthrax is a potential weapon in germ warfare and bioterrorism (see also bioterrorism).