title: Gram-positive rod surveillance for early anthrax detection.
abstract: Connecticut established telephone-based gram-positive rod (GPR) reporting primarily to detect inhalational anthrax cases more quickly. From March to December 2003, annualized incidence of blood isolates was 21.3/100,000 persons; reports included 293 Corynebacterium spp., 193 Bacillus spp., 73 Clostridium spp., 26 Lactobacillus spp., and 49 other genera. Around-the-clock GPR reporting has described GPR epidemiology and enhanced rapid communication with clinical laboratories.
authors.affiliation: Connecticut Department of Public Health, Hartford, Connecticut 06134, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Begier
authors.forename: Nancy L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Mshar
authors.forename: David G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hadler
mesh_terms: D000881:Anthrax / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D023482:Bioterrorism; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques; D003237:Connecticut / Q000453:epidemiology; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D019221:Mandatory Reporting; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D013689:Telephone; D013997:Time Factors