One-Year Health Assessment of Adult Survivors of Bacillus anthracis Infection

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Abstract
Research from JAMA — One-Year Health Assessment of Adult Survivors of Bacillus anthracis Infection — ContextLittle is known about potential long-term health effects of bioterrorism-related Bacillus anthracis infection.ObjectiveTo describe the relationship between anthrax infection and persistent somatic symptoms among adults surviving bioterrorism-related anthrax disease approximately 1 year after illness onset in 2001.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsCross-sectional study of 15 of 16 adult survivors from September through December 2002 using a clinical interview, a medical review-of-system questionnaire, 2 standardized self-administered questionnaires, and a review of available medical records.Main Outcome MeasuresHealth complaints summarized by the body system affected and by symptom categories; psychological distress measured by the Revised 90-Item Symptom Checklist; and health-related quality-of-life indices by the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (version 2).ResultsThe anthrax survivors reported symptoms affecting multiple body systems, significantly greater overall psychological distress (P<.001), and significantly reduced health-related quality-of-life indices compared with US referent populations. Eight survivors (53%) had not returned to work since their infection. Comparing disease manifestations, inhalational survivors reported significantly lower overall physical health than cutaneous survivors (mean scores, 30 vs 41; P = .02). Available medical records could not explain the persisting health complaints.ConclusionThe anthrax survivors continued to report significant health problems and poor life adjustment 1 year after onset of bioterrorism–related anthrax disease.

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