Answering Questions About Anthrax

Can my workplace be tested in case a letter containing anthrax has passed through undetected?

It's nearly impossible to conduct a random search for anthrax spores in the workplace. Technicians must swab surfaces to search for spores and that's like finding a needle in a haystack if there's no obvious place to start looking. Furthermore, there are a limited number of people with anthrax testing expertise. Those with expertise are being used to monitor areas at known risk.

Can air monitoring systems be used to detect airborne anthrax?

Currently, no air monitoring system can specifically detect anthrax.

Can my doctor administer a test to determine whether I have been exposed to anthrax?

A suspicious lesion on the skin can easily be tested and the culture sent to a lab. The presence of an anthrax spore in the nose doesn't mean a person will become ill- it takes 8,000-30.000 spores to infect someone.

Why is Cipro the only brand approved by the FDA to treat anthrax?

Several broad-spectrum antibiotics are equally effective against anthrax. However, Bayer, the manufacturer of Cipro, has conducted the necessary studies and undertaken the bureaucratic process that allows it to make anthrax claims about Cipro.

Is there a screening test for exposure to anthrax?

Currently, there is no test available, according to Center for Disease Control (CDC), to screen for exposure to anthrax or any other biological threat agent. Nasopharyngeal swabs are NOT indicated in evaluation of exposures except under conditions in which powder is sprayed directly onto the face and samples of the material are unavailable for further testing. Otherwise, there is NO INDICATION to use swabs to evaluate exposure.

    If I have "suspicious mail" removed from my office when will it be tested?

Suspicious mail removed from campus by Raleigh officials will be destroyed unopened. The capability does not exist to analyze the volume of mail that is being turned in. Unopene3d mail poses minimal risk. If you are concerned about exposure to unopened mail, wash thoroughly with soap and water and consult your personal physician