Do I Have Inhalation Anthrax

Is it inhalation anthrax or am I just scaring myself?

Please be kind to me, I know I did something shameless - picking up something I found on the street. But I really need some help here. I'm ashamed to explain this to a doctor - I've considered leaving out this part but I'm afraid it will lead to misdiagnosis. ALSO, I'm in a country that's considered relatively much safer than others in the region, and I can conceive of no idea why someone would have an *untargeted* package with anthrax spores in it.

A few days ago, I found a package of foodstuff (commercial biscuits) fully unopened. It looked like someone forgot it while loading other stuff into a vehicle. I checked it out and took it home (shame, I know). Later I found that one of the biscuit packet covers had some kind of powder stuff on it. It was a silvery powder, and I could NOT see it on the packet cover itself, but I could wipe it with my finger and see it clearly on my finger. It was odorless.

I remembered anthrax, but I thought I must be just scaring myself. I started searching on it, and found that there has never been a case of anthrax in this country, but a few false alarms. I found everything ranging from death within 24-36 hours *after* onset of respiratory problems to being put on a 60-day course of antibiotics.

Next day morning, I had a slight flu, for which I took an off-the-counter flu medicine. The flu subsided in a day.

Then I developed severe muscle/bone pain on my left index finger alone. This happened after I lifted something heavy in IKEA furniture store, so it may not be due to anthrax. I applied "Fastum" gel and the pain subsided in another day.

Now (third day) [1] I'm having slight chest pain on the lower half of my chest. I had it in the morning, then it subsided, now it's back again. I don't have breathing difficulty yet (as in finding it hard to breathe) but the chest pain has made my breathing slightly uncomfortable though I can breath normally. [2] I'm having slightly stiff neck. [3] I'm also feeling slightly tired and out-of-mood to revise for my exam (which is like in 12 hours or so!).

Should I rush to the clinic the next thing in the morning? (It's 1.30 am now). Or should I wait out if symptoms get worse? Can I not tell the doctor about the powder thing? Will he prescribe the correct antibiotics anyway?

What is Anthrax?

Anthrax is caused by a bacterium that can exist outside the body as spores.

Weapons grade anthrax is a fine powder of spores that can float in the air like flour dust. (the call it weapons grade because it is purified so well that it can spread easily like a weapon should.) It looks like a very fine white powder.

2. A major anthrax scare happened in 2001 when several people in America were mailed genuine weapons grade anthrax, causing several deaths.

3. Anthrax mainly affects the skin and/or the lungs (when inhaled) or occasionally the GI tract if it is eaten, and it's effects depend on how it enters the body.

Generally the bacteria multiply and release toxic by-products that kill cells.

Scared I have inhaled anthrax (not a joke)?

I don't know if it's just strep throat?
Last night, I was in a therapist office and my brother and I were waiting for our parents to finish up. There was a plant we were messing with in the waiting room and I later noticed its leaves were covered in white powder-looking stuff. We got home late that night and I had trouble sleeping because I had/ have a severe sore throat and some nausea. I also have a light fever (like 99 degrees). My head is also aching. I had to wake up my mom and tell her I thought I had strep throat. She told me we'll go to the clinic when she gets home at 3:30 but I'm scared if it's anthrax it'll be too late. Please help. I'm so scared. I really don't want to die.

How bad is anthrax?

I found online a place to buy anthrax online im not sure how powerful anthrax is but i figure it would make a good prank! Maybe put it in my teachers food or coffee........or just throw it in someones face with water!

Anthrax Vaccine?

It is not really for civilians. There is such a low risk of acquiring anthrax that the vaccine is not recommended for the general public. As with any medical procedure, there are some risks. The benefits must outweigh the risks, and at this point there is really no major benefit to the vaccine for civilians because of the low risk of acquiring the disease. It also generally requires a booster each year and is not really documented to protect from inhalation anthrax, which would be our major risk as civilians (from a terrorist attack).

Stick with the beneficial vaccines for now. Make sure you have had your two MMR vaccines, Three Hepatitis B shots, an updated TDaP (make sure it has Pertussis - not just TD!), Hep A if you need it, Polio, Pneumococcus (if you are at risk), Influenza (in season), varicella (or get a titer test if you had Chickenpox already), and meningococcal (especially if you are a college student!). Whew. If you are a female, get the HPV series too. And if not, get it when it is approved for males.

How Do People Usually Get Anthrax?

Most human cases are on the skin and come from animals, like sheep or cattle. They get it by handling the wool or skins of an infected animal, many times in the past people who worked with wool contracted it and it was called "Wool Sorter's disease".

That is natural transmission and is fairly rare, especially in the US. Animals that are found to have anthrax are destroyed and their carcasses burned to prevent the spread.

Then there is the biological weapon Anthrax. Possibly genetically engineered to make it more powerful and cause worse symptoms. If inhaled it can infect the lungs, it can also infect the digestive tract. This kind caused several deaths in 2001 when someone sent weaponized anthrax spores through the mail. But widespread use of anthrax as a biological weapon would not be practical. In the 70's, there was a release of anthrax from a Biological weapon plant in Russia and many were killed.

A good fiction on the subject of using Anthrax as a weapon is "Vector" by Robin Cook.