Intervention in Prague's Břevnov. Due to the anthrax threat, everyone involved had to wear anti-chemical suits.

Anthrax is an abbreviated term for the disease known as splenic anthrax. It is caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, which produces very resilient spores, making "anthrax" nearly synonymous with a biological weapon in today’s context.

Herbivores are primarily infected by the bacterium, while humans tend to be more resistant.

In humans, the disease can manifest in three forms – cutaneous, pulmonary, or gastrointestinal. The cutaneous form is the most common, producing ulcers on the skin. It is easily treated with antibiotics, and often the body can overcome this form on its own. However, if left untreated, approximately 20 percent of patients may die.

The second form is pulmonary, which occurs when a person inhales the bacterium, accounting for about five percent of cases. This form is extremely dangerous because it develops like the flu, and if it goes undetected, it can lead to rapid death.

The occurrence of the gastrointestinal form is rare. A person becomes infected by ingesting the bacterium, and in such cases, the mortality rate is around 50 percent if antibiotic treatment is not started promptly.

In the Czech lands, the last case of the disease was recorded in 1985. It appears only sporadically in Asia and Africa.