Isolated Case of Bioterrorism-related Inhalational Anthrax, New York City, 2001

摘要

On October 31, 2001, in New York City, a 61-year-oldfemale hospital employee who had acquired inhalationalanthrax died after a 6-day illness. To determine sources ofexposure and identify additional persons at risk, the NewYork City Department of Health, Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention, and law enforcement authoritiesconducted an extensive investigation, which included inter-viewing contacts, examining personal effects, summarizingpatient's use of mass transit, conducting active case findingand surveillance near her residence and at her workplace,and collecting samples from co-workers and the environ-ment. We cultured all specimens for Bacillus anthracis. Wefound no additional cases of cutaneous or inhalationalanthrax. The route of exposure remains unknown. All envi-ronmental samples were negative for B. anthracis. This firstcase of inhalational anthrax during the 2001 outbreak withno apparent direct link to contaminated mail emphasizesthe need for close coordination between public health andlaw enforcement agencies during bioterrorism-relatedinvestigations