ANTHRAX INFECTION

Course overview

ANTHRAX IS A SPORE-FORMING ROD THAT IS READILY FOUND IN SOIL IN TROPICAL ENVIRONMENTS. ANTHRAX HAS MANY FEATURES THAT MAKE IT AN OPTIMAL BIOLOGIC WEAPON. IT IS ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY RATES AND ONLY A SMALL DOSE IS REQUIRED FOR INFECTION TO OCCUR. THERE IS NO RAPIDLY AVAILABLE DIAGNOSTIC TEST FOR ANTHRAX INFECTION AND NO UNIVERSALLY AVAILABLE EFFECTIVE PREVENTIVE VACCINE. THE PATHOGEN IS WIDELY AVAILABLE AND THE PRODUCTION OF A BIOLOGIC WEAPON IS FEASIBLE. IN RECENT HISTORY, ANTHRAX HAS BEEN USED AS AN AGENT OF BIOLOGIC WARFARE IN BOTH THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD. THIS ACTIVITY EXAMINES WHEN ANTHRAX INFECTION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN THE DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS AND HOW AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM SHOULD PROPERLY EVALUATE FOR IT.