In October 2001, when the first anthrax patients sought medical care, none of them had a history suggesting exposure to anthrax. Given the rarity of anthrax, many other causes more likely explained their early, nonspecific symptoms. The diversity of anthrax victims, which included an infant, revealed that biological terrorism could affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, health status, occupation, or socioeconomic status (1). The anthrax events also taught us that alert clinicians who recognize a potential terrorist-caused illness, obtain the appropriate laboratory tests, and notify public health officials, play a critical role in protecting their communities as well as their individual patients (1). Early warnings to local health officials, who work closely with law enforcement, can be successful in preventing additional casualties.
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(2008). The Primary Care Physician’s Role in Supporting the Public Health Response to Biological, Chemical, and Radiological Terrorism. In: Biological, Chemical, and Radiological Terrorism. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-47232-4_6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-47232-4_6
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