Inhalation anthrax

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Inhalation Anthrax

Inhalation anthrax

Alternative Names:

Anthrax - inhalation
Symptoms:

Initial stage -- fever, chills, sweating, fatigue, malaise, headache, cough, shortness of breath, and chest pain
Second stage -- fever, severe shortness of breath, and shock

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This list of symptoms is based on a relatively small number of people who have had inhalation anthrax. Additional symptoms may be present. Some of the symptoms listed may be absent.

Signs and tests:

If inhalation anthrax is suspected, a chest X-ray, blood cultures, and sputum cultures may be obtained. Initial chest X-rays are likely to show abnormalities such as fluid surrounding the lungs or abnormally wide space between the lungs.
Samples may need to be sent to a special lab for more definitive testing, including PCR, immunoflourescence, and immunohistochemistry.
A spinal tap for CSF culture and a gram stain also may be performed.

References:

Reissman DB, Whitney EA, Taylor TH Jr, et al. One-Year Health Assessment of Adult Survivors of Bacillus anthracis Infection.JAMA. 2004;291:1994-1998.

Inglesby TV, O'Toole T, Henderson DA, et al. Anthrax as a Biological Weapon, 2002. JAMA.160;2002;287:2236-2252.