2/22/2006
NEW YORK -- A New York City man has been hospitalized after inhaling anthrax, but officials believe it was accidental and not related to terrorism, NewsChannel 4's Jonathan Dienst reported Wednesday. The man traveled in December to Ivory Coast in west Africa and became ill shortly after his return, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said. There was no evidence of any criminal intent or terrorist connection, the mayor said.
The man collapsed after performing last week with a dance company, Kotchegna, at the Steadman Theatre in Mansfield, Pa., according to Pennsylvania Department of Health Secretary Dr. Calvin B. Johnson.
On Feb. 17, blood tests were taken and by Feb. 20, the tests began to indicate the possible presence of anthrax.
Bloomberg said the 44-year-old man had worked with the animal hides at a work space in the DUMBO section of Brooklyn. At least four other people may have been exposed to anthrax spores and three are being treated with antibiotics, city Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden said.
"Every indication suggests that this is naturally occurring anthrax," said Frieden.
Other Anthrax articles today:
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/w...eb22,0,7462028.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork
"About 95 percent of anthrax infections are cutaneous, and occur when anthrax enters through a cut on the skin, such as when a person is handling contaminated products of infected animals.
Inhalation infections come from breathing in the spores.The initial symptoms may resemble a common cold, with sore throat, mild fever, muscle aches and malaise. After several days, the symptoms may progress to severe breathing problems and shock."
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=local&id=3932131
Pulmonary or inhaled, anthrax is the rarest form of anthrax - but it's also the most dangerous. Pulmonary anthrax can only occur if someone breathes thousands of anthrax spores into the lungs. Pulmonary anthrax usually seems like a common cold or the flu at first, but it rapidly turns into severe pneumonia and requires hospitalization.
It usually takes fewer than 7 days for a person to show signs of anthrax infection. And symptoms of pulmonary anthrax can sometimes take months to appear.
How Difficult Is It to Get Anthrax?
It's very difficult to get anthrax. Just being exposed to the spores or coming into contact with an infected animal doesn't mean that a person will automatically develop the disease.
For example, to get pulmonary anthrax (the type of anthrax that killed the five people in the 2001 outbreak), a person has to inhale thousands of spores.
http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/health/feeds/hscout/2006/02/22/hscout531118.html
"Even with our modern intensive care, once you're reached the advanced stage of this disease, you're probably going to die. That's why it's crucial to start antibiotics within the first few days," study author Dr. Jon-Erik Holty, a fellow in pulmonary and critical care medicine at Stanford, said in a prepared statement.
He noted that anthrax can be difficult to diagnose. In its early stages, its symptoms mimic the flu. Even in the later stages of anthrax, there is no quick, definitive test for the disease.
NEW YORK -- A New York City man has been hospitalized after inhaling anthrax, but officials believe it was accidental and not related to terrorism, NewsChannel 4's Jonathan Dienst reported Wednesday. The man traveled in December to Ivory Coast in west Africa and became ill shortly after his return, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said. There was no evidence of any criminal intent or terrorist connection, the mayor said.
The man collapsed after performing last week with a dance company, Kotchegna, at the Steadman Theatre in Mansfield, Pa., according to Pennsylvania Department of Health Secretary Dr. Calvin B. Johnson.
On Feb. 17, blood tests were taken and by Feb. 20, the tests began to indicate the possible presence of anthrax.
Bloomberg said the 44-year-old man had worked with the animal hides at a work space in the DUMBO section of Brooklyn. At least four other people may have been exposed to anthrax spores and three are being treated with antibiotics, city Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden said.
"Every indication suggests that this is naturally occurring anthrax," said Frieden.
Other Anthrax articles today:
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/w...eb22,0,7462028.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork
"About 95 percent of anthrax infections are cutaneous, and occur when anthrax enters through a cut on the skin, such as when a person is handling contaminated products of infected animals.
Inhalation infections come from breathing in the spores.The initial symptoms may resemble a common cold, with sore throat, mild fever, muscle aches and malaise. After several days, the symptoms may progress to severe breathing problems and shock."
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=local&id=3932131
Pulmonary or inhaled, anthrax is the rarest form of anthrax - but it's also the most dangerous. Pulmonary anthrax can only occur if someone breathes thousands of anthrax spores into the lungs. Pulmonary anthrax usually seems like a common cold or the flu at first, but it rapidly turns into severe pneumonia and requires hospitalization.
It usually takes fewer than 7 days for a person to show signs of anthrax infection. And symptoms of pulmonary anthrax can sometimes take months to appear.
How Difficult Is It to Get Anthrax?
It's very difficult to get anthrax. Just being exposed to the spores or coming into contact with an infected animal doesn't mean that a person will automatically develop the disease.
For example, to get pulmonary anthrax (the type of anthrax that killed the five people in the 2001 outbreak), a person has to inhale thousands of spores.
http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/health/feeds/hscout/2006/02/22/hscout531118.html
"Even with our modern intensive care, once you're reached the advanced stage of this disease, you're probably going to die. That's why it's crucial to start antibiotics within the first few days," study author Dr. Jon-Erik Holty, a fellow in pulmonary and critical care medicine at Stanford, said in a prepared statement.
He noted that anthrax can be difficult to diagnose. In its early stages, its symptoms mimic the flu. Even in the later stages of anthrax, there is no quick, definitive test for the disease.