Anthrax: Anthrax is described in the early literature of the Greeks, Romans, and Hindus. The fifth plague, described in the book of Genesis, may be among the earliest descriptions of anthrax. Anthrax is a disease caused by exposure to Bacillus anthracis spores. Symptoms of anthrax include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, chest pain, fever, sore throat, difficulty swallowing, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and pimple-like lesions, followed by black scabs. Anthrax is treated by antibiotics.