Webster's New World Medical Dictionary

anterior pituitary
See 
pituitary, anterior.
anteroposterior
From front to back.
Abbreviated AP. When a chest X-ray is taken with the
patient’s back against the film plate and the X-ray
machine in front of the patient, it is referred to as an
AP view. The opposite of AP is posteroanterior (PA).
See also Appendix B, “Anatomic Orientation
Terms.”
anthracosis
See 
black lung disease.
anthrax
A highly infectious disease that normally
affects animals, especially ruminants (such as cattle,
sheep, and horses), but that can be transmitted to
humans by contact with infected animals or their
products or by biologic warfare. The agent of
anthrax is the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Its
spores can resist destruction and remain viable for
years. Anthrax is treated with antibiotics such as
penicillin, tetracycline, erythromycin, and
ciprofloxin (brand name: Cipro). Three forms of
disease are caused by anthrax: cutaneous anthrax,
inhalation anthrax, and gastrointestinal anthrax. See
also 
anthrax, cutaneous; anthrax, gastrointesti-
nal; anthrax, inhalation.
anthrax, cutaneous
Anthrax infection of the
skin. The most common form of anthrax, cutaneous
anthrax starts as a red-brown raised spot that
enlarges and has redness, blistering, and hardening
in the area of the spot. The center of the spot then
shows an ulcer crater with blood-tinged drainage
and the formation of a black crust (an eschar). The
glands in the area become swollen (enlarged lymph
nodes), and the patient may have muscle aching and
pain, headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting.
anthrax, gastrointestinal
Anthrax infection of
the gastrointestinal tract, now very rare but deadly.
Gastrointestinal anthrax is caused by eating meat
that is contaminated with the bacterium Bacillus
anthracis.