Investigation of Bioterrorism-Related Anthrax, United States, 2001: Epidemiologic Findings
In October 2001, the first inhalational anthrax case in the United States since 1976 was identified in a media company worker in Florida. A national investigation was initiated to identify additional cases and determine possible exposures to Bacillus anthracis. Surveillance was enhanced through heal...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
2002-10-01
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Series: | Emerging Infectious Diseases |
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Online Access: | https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/8/10/02-0353_article |
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author | Daniel B. Jernigan Pratima L. Raghunathan Beth P. Bell Ross Brechner Eddy A. Bresnitz Jay C. Butler Marty Cetron Mitch Cohen Timothy Doyle Marc Fischer Carolyn M. Greene Kevin S. Griffith Jeannette Guarner James L. Hadler James A. Hayslett Richard Meyer Lyle R. Petersen Michael Phillips Robert W. Pinner Tanja Popovic Conrad P. Quinn Jennita Reefhuis Dori Reissman Nancy Rosenstein Anne Schuchat Wun-Ju Shieh Larry Siegal David L. Swerdlow Fred C. Tenover Marc Traeger John W. Ward Isaac Weisfuse Steven Wiersma Kevin Yeskey Sherif Zaki David A. Ashford Bradley A. Perkins Steve Ostroff James M. Hughes David Fleming Jeffrey P. Koplan Julie L. Gerberding |
author_facet | Daniel B. Jernigan Pratima L. Raghunathan Beth P. Bell Ross Brechner Eddy A. Bresnitz Jay C. Butler Marty Cetron Mitch Cohen Timothy Doyle Marc Fischer Carolyn M. Greene Kevin S. Griffith Jeannette Guarner James L. Hadler James A. Hayslett Richard Meyer Lyle R. Petersen Michael Phillips Robert W. Pinner Tanja Popovic Conrad P. Quinn Jennita Reefhuis Dori Reissman Nancy Rosenstein Anne Schuchat Wun-Ju Shieh Larry Siegal David L. Swerdlow Fred C. Tenover Marc Traeger John W. Ward Isaac Weisfuse Steven Wiersma Kevin Yeskey Sherif Zaki David A. Ashford Bradley A. Perkins Steve Ostroff James M. Hughes David Fleming Jeffrey P. Koplan Julie L. Gerberding |
author_sort | Daniel B. Jernigan |
collection | DOAJ |
description | In October 2001, the first inhalational anthrax case in the United States since 1976 was identified in a media company worker in Florida. A national investigation was initiated to identify additional cases and determine possible exposures to Bacillus anthracis. Surveillance was enhanced through health-care facilities, laboratories, and other means to identify cases, which were defined as clinically compatible illness with laboratory-confirmed B. anthracis infection. From October 4 to November 20, 2001, 22 cases of anthrax (11 inhalational, 11 cutaneous) were identified; 5 of the inhalational cases were fatal. Twenty (91%) case-patients were either mail handlers or were exposed to worksites where contaminated mail was processed or received. B. anthracis isolates from four powder-containing envelopes, 17 specimens from patients, and 106 environmental samples were indistinguishable by molecular subtyping. Illness and death occurred not only at targeted worksites, but also along the path of mail and in other settings. Continued vigilance for cases is needed among health-care providers and members of the public health and law enforcement communities. |
first_indexed | 2024-04-13T21:23:27Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-b77db947c85647078badcf32ad4d14d6 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1080-6040 1080-6059 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-04-13T21:23:27Z |
publishDate | 2002-10-01 |
publisher | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
record_format | Article |
series | Emerging Infectious Diseases |
spelling | doaj.art-b77db947c85647078badcf32ad4d14d62022-12-22T02:29:25ZengCenters for Disease Control and PreventionEmerging Infectious Diseases1080-60401080-60592002-10-018101019102810.3201/eid0810.020353Investigation of Bioterrorism-Related Anthrax, United States, 2001: Epidemiologic FindingsDaniel B. JerniganPratima L. RaghunathanBeth P. BellRoss BrechnerEddy A. BresnitzJay C. ButlerMarty CetronMitch CohenTimothy DoyleMarc FischerCarolyn M. GreeneKevin S. GriffithJeannette GuarnerJames L. HadlerJames A. HayslettRichard MeyerLyle R. PetersenMichael PhillipsRobert W. PinnerTanja PopovicConrad P. QuinnJennita ReefhuisDori ReissmanNancy RosensteinAnne SchuchatWun-Ju ShiehLarry SiegalDavid L. SwerdlowFred C. TenoverMarc TraegerJohn W. WardIsaac WeisfuseSteven WiersmaKevin YeskeySherif ZakiDavid A. AshfordBradley A. PerkinsSteve OstroffJames M. HughesDavid FlemingJeffrey P. KoplanJulie L. GerberdingIn October 2001, the first inhalational anthrax case in the United States since 1976 was identified in a media company worker in Florida. A national investigation was initiated to identify additional cases and determine possible exposures to Bacillus anthracis. Surveillance was enhanced through health-care facilities, laboratories, and other means to identify cases, which were defined as clinically compatible illness with laboratory-confirmed B. anthracis infection. From October 4 to November 20, 2001, 22 cases of anthrax (11 inhalational, 11 cutaneous) were identified; 5 of the inhalational cases were fatal. Twenty (91%) case-patients were either mail handlers or were exposed to worksites where contaminated mail was processed or received. B. anthracis isolates from four powder-containing envelopes, 17 specimens from patients, and 106 environmental samples were indistinguishable by molecular subtyping. Illness and death occurred not only at targeted worksites, but also along the path of mail and in other settings. Continued vigilance for cases is needed among health-care providers and members of the public health and law enforcement communities.https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/8/10/02-0353_articleUnited States |
spellingShingle | Daniel B. Jernigan Pratima L. Raghunathan Beth P. Bell Ross Brechner Eddy A. Bresnitz Jay C. Butler Marty Cetron Mitch Cohen Timothy Doyle Marc Fischer Carolyn M. Greene Kevin S. Griffith Jeannette Guarner James L. Hadler James A. Hayslett Richard Meyer Lyle R. Petersen Michael Phillips Robert W. Pinner Tanja Popovic Conrad P. Quinn Jennita Reefhuis Dori Reissman Nancy Rosenstein Anne Schuchat Wun-Ju Shieh Larry Siegal David L. Swerdlow Fred C. Tenover Marc Traeger John W. Ward Isaac Weisfuse Steven Wiersma Kevin Yeskey Sherif Zaki David A. Ashford Bradley A. Perkins Steve Ostroff James M. Hughes David Fleming Jeffrey P. Koplan Julie L. Gerberding Investigation of Bioterrorism-Related Anthrax, United States, 2001: Epidemiologic Findings Emerging Infectious Diseases United States |
title | Investigation of Bioterrorism-Related Anthrax, United States, 2001: Epidemiologic Findings |
title_full | Investigation of Bioterrorism-Related Anthrax, United States, 2001: Epidemiologic Findings |
title_fullStr | Investigation of Bioterrorism-Related Anthrax, United States, 2001: Epidemiologic Findings |
title_full_unstemmed | Investigation of Bioterrorism-Related Anthrax, United States, 2001: Epidemiologic Findings |
title_short | Investigation of Bioterrorism-Related Anthrax, United States, 2001: Epidemiologic Findings |
title_sort | investigation of bioterrorism related anthrax united states 2001 epidemiologic findings |
topic | United States |
url | https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/8/10/02-0353_article |
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