Anthrax is normally caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, but some time ago a new source of this disease was noticed in Africa. The Bacillus cereus bacterium, which is dead so far, has taken over the deadly qualities of its cousin and has begun a mortal harvest.
This bacterium, which is commonly found in soil or in food, was completely harmless in drastic cases of poisoning, leading at most to slight ailments from the digestive system. However, some time ago we managed to register that as part of horizontal gene transfer she took plasmids derived from B. antracis (non-chromosome DNA molecules capable of independent replication) containing genetic information about the pathogenic abilities of B. anthracis. The new, mutant strain was named B. cereus biovar anthracis or abbreviated as Bcbva.
The worse news is that Bcbva is spreading rapidly, posing a great threat to the fauna inhabiting the African jungles. This bacterium decimates populations of many species of mammals, and scientists are alarming that it may even lead to the disappearance of some chimps - it is true that it can take up to 150 years, but it is such a risk.
And such a big threat to primates may also mean that in the future, especially in the context of climate change favorable for its spread, this bacterium will also pose a great threat to humans - although it has not been investigated so far.