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Bacillus anthracis are the bacteria that cause anthrax. This article contains anthrax pictures depicting the Bacillus anthracis spores. Also, anthrax pictures of cutaneous and inhalation types of the disease are presented below.
Bacillus anthracis is the bacterium that causes anthrax. Bacillus anthracis is different from many other bacteria because it forms spores. In this form, the Bacillus anthracis can lie dormant but may come to life with the right conditions. Once the Bacillus anthracis bacteria come to life, they can have deadly effects. Bacillus anthracis is an aerobic bacterium, meaning that it needs oxygen to survive and grow.
Bacillus anthracis cannot be seen with the naked eye. Bacillus anthracis spores and bacteria do not have a characteristic appearance, such as a specific color, smell, or taste.
Below is a picture of Bacillus anthracis spores as seen under a microscope.
Anthrax Image No. 1
A transmission electron micrographic image of Bacillus anthracis.
Cutaneous anthrax is the most common form of the disease. Cutaneous anthrax infections occur when the anthrax bacteria enter a cut or abrasion on the skin. This can happen when a person handles contaminated wool, hides, leather, or hair products (especially goat hair) of infected animals.
A cutaneous anthrax skin infection begins as a raised, itchy bump that resembles an insect bite, but within 1 to 2 days develops into a blister. This blister then turns into a painless ulcer with a characteristic black necrotic (dying) area in the center.
Below are some cutaneous anthrax pictures:
Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD