1. An individual becomes infected by inhaling the spores. 2. An individual becomes infected by inhaling the spores, develops flu-like symptoms and almost always dies within a few days. 3. Anthrax infection can be caused by contact with infected animals or by inhaling anthrax spores. 4. Anthrax is mainly a disease of livestock, but humans can contract it by touching infected hides or tissues, eating infected meat or inhaling spores. 5. Anthrax, a disease more common in cattle and other hooved animals, is most dangerous when the spores are inhaled. 6. But that still does not indicate whether enough spores have been inhaled deeply enough to germinate and cause inhalation anthrax. 7. Coccidioidomycosis, commonly called valley fever, is an infection caused by inhaling airborne spores of a fungus native to the Southwest. 8. Even more uncommon is anthrax caught by inhaling spores. 9. Humans can become infected by handling animal products or inhaling anthrax spores from contaminated animal products. 10. Humans can get sick from handling products from infected animals, inhaling the spores from animal skins or eating undercooked contaminated meat. |