Gastrointestinal anthrax: review of the literature.
Recent events have drawn attention to cases of inhalational and cutaneous anthrax associated with contaminated mail. Gastrointestinal anthrax, the disease caused by ingestion of Bacillus anthracis organisms, has rarely been reported in the United States. This review provides background information on the gastrointestinal form of the disease. We describe the clinical course of gastrointestinal anthrax, outline current therapy, review the microbiology of B anthracis, examine the epidemiology of natural outbreaks, discuss considerations regarding deliberate contamination, and summarize existing literature on the inactivation of spores present in food and water.
Beatty
Mark E
ME
Epidemic Intelligence Service, Division of Applied Public Health Training, Epidemiology Program Office, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. mbeatty@cdc.gov
Ashford
David A
DA
Griffin
Patricia M
PM
Tauxe
Robert V
RV
Sobel
Jeremy
J
D000881:Anthrax / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents