Sparks Fly and So Do Spores: Understanding a Rare Survival from Welder's Anthrax ¡ª Louisiana, 2024

What did we do?

• On September 7, 2024, a clinician contacted CDC and the Louisiana Department of Health regarding an 18-year-old male welder intubated in the intensive care unit with severe pneumonia, respiratory failure, and a suspected case of welder's anthrax. The patient recovered after receiving anthrax antitoxin. We investigated the environmental source of infection for B. cereus group strains that produce anthrax toxins.

What did we find?

• The patient is the youngest of nine known people with welder's anthrax, and he worked part-time as a welder for only six months prior to his illness.
• Laboratory Response Network polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the patient's blood culture confirmed the presence of an anthrax toxin gene, and whole genome sequencing identified the isolate as B. cereus group bacteria encoding anthrax associated toxins.
• We collected 245 environmental samples from the patient's worksite, and testing is ongoing.

Why does it matter

• Welder's anthrax is rare, and the rapid identification of this occupational illness and coordinated public health response were vital in saving this patient's life.
• Increased awareness of welder's anthrax among welders, metal workers, and healthcare providers could encourage health seeking behaviors and early treatment for this potentially fatal illness.
• Improved workplace engineering controls and use of NIOSH-approved® respirators may reduce the risk of welder's anthrax.

Abstract Category: Anthrax