Biosensors and Bioassays for the Medical Detection of Bacillus Anthracis and Diagnosis of Anthrax

<i>Bacillus anthracis</i> is a causative agent of the highly mortal disease anthrax. This zoonosis is present in nature, but it is also considered one of the most powerful biological warfare agents. A timely diagnosis is necessary for proper therapy and setting of epidemiological countermeasures. Current diagnostic methods should be used in specialized laboratories or medical facilities because there are only a limited number of methods suitable as hand-held assays or even point-of-care tests for detecting <i>B. anthracis</i> or anthrax diagnosis. The lateral flow tests are an exception in this regard, but these tests also have some limitations. Significant progress has been achieved in point-of-care tests for <i>B. anthracis</i> detection and anthrax diagnosis in various biosensors and bioassays. This review focuses on current hand-held and point-of-care tests that can easily prove anthrax or its causative agent outside the context of specialized facilities.