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64 - Anthrax

from Part IV - Current Topics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 December 2009

By
David M. Stier ,
Jennifer C. Hunter ,
Olivia Bruch  and
Karen A. Holbrook
Edited by
Rachel L. Chin
David M. Stier
Affiliation:
Medical Epidemiologist, Medical Director, Adult Immunization and Travel Clinic, Communicable Disease Control and Prevention Section, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA
Jennifer C. Hunter
Affiliation:
Research Assistant, Communicable Disease Control and Prevention Section, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA
Olivia Bruch
Affiliation:
Health Program Coordinator, Communicable Disease Control and Prevention Section, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA
Karen A. Holbrook
Affiliation:
Medical Epidemiologist, Communicable Disease Control and Prevention Section, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA
Rachel L. Chin
Affiliation:
University of California, San Francisco
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Summary

INTRODUCTION

Anthrax is an acute infection caused by Bacillus anthracis, a large, gram-positive, spore-forming, aerobic, encapsulated, rod-shaped bacterium. Spores germinate and form bacteria in nutrient-rich environments, whereas bacteria form spores in nutrient-poor environments. The anthrax bacillus produces high levels of two toxins: Edema toxin causes massive edema at the site of germination, and lethal toxin leads to sepsis. Severity of anthrax disease depends on the route of infection and the presence of complications, with case fatality ranging from 5% to 95% if untreated.

The Working Group for Civilian Biodefense considers B. anthracis to be one of the most serious biological threats. Anthrax has been weaponized and used. It can be fairly easily disseminated and causes illness and death. Of the ways that B. anthracis could potentially be used as a biological weapon, an aerosol release would be expected to have the most severe medical and public health outcomes.

EPIDEMIOLOGY

Anthrax as a Biological Weapon

Anthrax was successfully used as a biological weapon in the United States in October 2001. Cases resulted from direct or indirect exposure to mail that was deliberately contaminated with anthrax spores. In total, 22 cases were identified, 11 with inhalational (five fatal) and 11 with cutaneous anthrax (seven confirmed, four suspected).

Several countries, including the United States, have had anthrax weaponization programs in the past.

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Information
Emergency Management of Infectious Diseases , pp. 421 - 428
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2008

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References

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  • Anthrax
    • By David M. Stier, Medical Epidemiologist, Medical Director, Adult Immunization and Travel Clinic, Communicable Disease Control and Prevention Section, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA, Jennifer C. Hunter, Research Assistant, Communicable Disease Control and Prevention Section, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA, Olivia Bruch, Health Program Coordinator, Communicable Disease Control and Prevention Section, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA, Karen A. Holbrook, Medical Epidemiologist, Communicable Disease Control and Prevention Section, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA
  • Edited by Rachel L. Chin, University of California, San Francisco
  • Book: Emergency Management of Infectious Diseases
  • Online publication: 15 December 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511547454.065
Available formats
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Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

  • Anthrax
    • By David M. Stier, Medical Epidemiologist, Medical Director, Adult Immunization and Travel Clinic, Communicable Disease Control and Prevention Section, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA, Jennifer C. Hunter, Research Assistant, Communicable Disease Control and Prevention Section, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA, Olivia Bruch, Health Program Coordinator, Communicable Disease Control and Prevention Section, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA, Karen A. Holbrook, Medical Epidemiologist, Communicable Disease Control and Prevention Section, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA
  • Edited by Rachel L. Chin, University of California, San Francisco
  • Book: Emergency Management of Infectious Diseases
  • Online publication: 15 December 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511547454.065
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Anthrax
    • By David M. Stier, Medical Epidemiologist, Medical Director, Adult Immunization and Travel Clinic, Communicable Disease Control and Prevention Section, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA, Jennifer C. Hunter, Research Assistant, Communicable Disease Control and Prevention Section, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA, Olivia Bruch, Health Program Coordinator, Communicable Disease Control and Prevention Section, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA, Karen A. Holbrook, Medical Epidemiologist, Communicable Disease Control and Prevention Section, San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA
  • Edited by Rachel L. Chin, University of California, San Francisco
  • Book: Emergency Management of Infectious Diseases
  • Online publication: 15 December 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511547454.065
Available formats
×