Note: this procedure is applicable to health providers in King County, Washington State only:

• Severe, unexplained febrile illness or death
• Sepsis or respiratory failure with a widened mediastinum
• Sepsis with gram-positive rods or a suspicious Bacillus species identified in the blood or cerebrospinal fluid
• All suspected cases of anthrax

Topics:

• Cutaneous anthrax: Treatment and prophylaxis recommendations
• Inhalational or meningeal anthrax
• Avoid prescribing unnecessary antibiotics
• Anthrax vaccines are not commercially available or recommended
• There is NO role for nasal swab testing in clinical decision-making
• Cutaneous anthrax: Clinical evaluation guidelines
• Important information on anthrax for clinical microbiologists
• Risk assessment and response to possible anthrax exposures for clinicians
• Management of persons with potential anthrax exposures
• Management of suspicious substances and patients bringing suspicious substances to clinical facilities