Anthrax

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/anthrax

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Bacillus anthracis
2. What is the morphology?Gram-positive, rod-shaped bacterium forming endospores
3. How do animals get anthrax?Animals usually get anthrax by eating soil, water, or plants that contain the spores, which grow inside them.
4. How can humans get anthrax?Humans can get anthrax by touching infected animals, breathing in spores, or eating meat that isn’t cooked well.

Endospore: A metabolically dormant, highly resistant structure produced by certain bacteria, enabling survival in harsh conditions.
Facultative Anaerobe: An organism that can grow with or without oxygen, but grows best with it.
Koch's Postulates: A set of criteria used to establish a causal relationship between a microbe and a disease.
Zoonotic Disease: An infectious disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans.