Anthrax as a Zoonotic Infection: A "One Health" Perspective and Achieving Sustainable Development Goals

Anthrax is one of the most lethal zoonotic diseases with its ability to persist in the environment for decades and its high mortality rates in humans and animals caused by Bacillus anthracis. This article reviews the pathogen’s life cycle and virulence factors such as the triple toxin complex and the capsid, which is resistant to phagocytosis, and is encoded by the plasmid pXO2 and pXO1, respectively. It also serves as an indicator of establishment and dispersion from soil reservoirs and grazing animals, human infection patterns and security implications due to its designation as a biological weapon. The results of the review confirms the importance of the two-fold approach: veterinary and environmental (annual livestock vaccination, prohibit autopsies, safe disposal of carcasses) and human medical (medical and treatment) interventions. As conclusion, this approach is directly linked to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, namely Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being), Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) and Goal 15 (Life on Land).