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DEFINITION Anthrax or coal fever is a ubic zoonosis that causes high mortality in ruminants. It is due to a bacterium called Bacillus anthracis that stays in the soil for a long time in the form of spores.WHAT ANIMALS ARE MORE AFFECTED? Most mammals can be affected, but ruminants are the most sensitive.WHICH PEOPLE ARE MOST AT RISK? Workers of slaughterhouses, skin (tanners), breeders, etc.How is the disease transmitted? Anthrax can be transmitted by ingestion of food or by inhaling air containing spores, or through the passage of spores through skin wounds or when consuming raw or poorly cooked animal origins.WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS? The toxin produced by the bacteria is responsible for the symptoms of the disease, leading to a high mortality rate.In animals: tremors, difficulty breathing, high fever, and death accompanied by a flow of blackish blood that does not clot in the open air, at the natural orifices (nose, mouth, anus, ear, etc.) In humans: Coal inhalation is the most dangerous and leads to severe respiratory forms that can lead to shock and death. The gastrointestinal form is manifested by acute inflammation of the digestive tract, with the presence of nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, fever, etc... WHAT ARE THE PREVENTIVE MEASURES? Vaccinate animalsCook MeatWear protective equipment primarily for workersRespect hygiene measures (hand wash after contact with animal/products) Eliminate animal corpses by adhering to biosecurity measures (Burial between two layers of quicklime) Avoid opening the corpse of a infected or sick animal, or throw away the corpses of animals.