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Why did anthrax reappear in pastures that had not been used for grazing for years?
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Robert Koch
Best known for demonstrating that specific microorganisms cause specific diseases, German bacteriologist and physician helped to confirm the germ theory of disease.
Anthrax reappears in pastures that have been unused for years because the causative bacterium, Bacillus anthracis, is capable of forming highly resistant, dormant spores.12
Through his investigations, Robert Koch discovered that these spores can remain viable in the environment for many years, even under exposed conditions. When environmental conditions are favorable, these dormant spores develop into the active, rod-shaped bacteria (bacilli) that cause the disease. This life cycle explains why grazing animals can become infected in areas where no recent source of the disease is apparent.1