Overview
Anthrax toxin is a powerful, multi-component toxin that is produced by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. It has three main components: protective antigen, edema factor, and lethal factor. Protective antigen binds to target cells and act as a receptor for the other two toxins, edema factor and lethal factor, which are responsible for inflicting cellular damage. Anthrax toxin is a major virulence factor for anthrax and can cause severe, often fatal, infection in humans and animals. It is one of the biological agents listed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a Category A Priority Pathogen and can be used as a potential agent of bioterrorism. Vaccines are available against anthrax, and the use of prophylactic and therapeutic antibiotics is recommended to prevent and treat anthrax, respectively.