bacteria causing anthrax - common disease of livestock and, occasionally, of humans - and the only obligate pathogen (can't survive for long outside of the human body) within the genus Bacillus. it belongs to B.cereus family, present in many types of soil, sediment and plants.
There are 89 known strains of B. anthracis.
Bacillus species are almost ubiquitous in nature, e.g. in soil, but also occur in extreme environments such as high pH (B. alcalophilus), high temperature (B. thermophilus), or high salt (B. halodurans). B. thuringiensis produces a toxin that can kill insects and thus has been used as insecticide.
There are 89 known strains of B. anthracis.
Bacillus species are almost ubiquitous in nature, e.g. in soil, but also occur in extreme environments such as high pH (B. alcalophilus), high temperature (B. thermophilus), or high salt (B. halodurans). B. thuringiensis produces a toxin that can kill insects and thus has been used as insecticide.
