Bacillus anthracis : biological origins and impact on human history

SUMMARY In 1876, Robert Koch published “The Etiology of Anthrax Disease, based on the Developmental History of Bacillus anthracis .” This seminal work laid the foundation for microbiology as a discipline. To commemorate the 150 th anniversary of its publication, this article will review the history of B. anthracis , from its evolutionary origins to recent advancements in understanding its pathogenesis. For millions of years, B. anthracis existed in the environment as a unique pathogen whose lifestyle was heavily reliant on causing lethal disease in mammalian hosts. Beginning around 10,000 years ago, anthrax outbreaks have caused terrifying disease in humans and have wreaked havoc on livestock. The efforts to understand, treat, and prevent this disease have produced major breakthroughs in microbiology, medicine, and agriculture. In the modern era, despite still threatening livestock populations, “anthrax” has taken on a new meaning as a feared agent of bioterror. Continued scientific investigation into B. anthracis is not only critical in the prevention of the disease, but it promises to reveal new discoveries about the microbial world and its interactions with human hosts.