Gastrointestinal anthrax

Gastrointestinal anthrax is a severe, life-threatening form of anthrax caused by the ingestion of food products—most commonly raw or undercooked meat—contaminated with *Bacillus anthracis* spores Pathophysiologically, ingested spores germinate within the mucosal epithelium and regional lymph nodes, releasing exotoxins that cause intense inflammation, mucosal ulceration, tissue necrosis, marked edema, and hemorrhagic regional lymphadenitis

Gastrointestinal anthrax is a severe, life-threatening form of anthrax caused by the ingestion of food products—most commonly raw or undercooked meat—contaminated with *Bacillus anthracis* spores

The infection affects the digestive tract and is clinically categorized into oropharyngeal and intestinal forms Patients typically present with fever, severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting (often hematemesis), and bloody diarrhea, frequently complicated by hemorrhagic ascites, bowel perforation, septic shock, and fatal bacteremia

The infection affects the digestive tract and is clinically categorized into oropharyngeal and intestinal forms Pathophysiologically, ingested spores germinate within the mucosal epithelium and regional lymph nodes, releasing exotoxins that cause intense inflammation, mucosal ulceration, tissue necrosis, marked edema, and hemorrhagic regional lymphadenitis

Pathophysiologically, ingested spores germinate within the mucosal epithelium and regional lymph nodes, releasing exotoxins that cause intense inflammation, mucosal ulceration, tissue necrosis, marked edema, and hemorrhagic regional lymphadenitis Patients typically present with fever, severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting (often hematemesis), and bloody diarrhea, frequently complicated by hemorrhagic ascites, bowel perforation, septic shock, and fatal bacteremia

Pathophysiologically, ingested spores germinate within the mucosal epithelium and regional lymph nodes, releasing exotoxins that cause intense inflammation, mucosal ulceration, tissue necrosis, marked edema, and hemorrhagic regional lymphadenitis

Patients typically present with fever, severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting (often hematemesis), and bloody diarrhea, frequently complicated by hemorrhagic ascites, bowel perforation, septic shock, and fatal bacteremia