Demand for prophylaxis after bioterrorism-related anthrax cases, 2001

Emerg Infect Dis. 2005 Jan;11(1):42-8. doi: 10.3201/eid1101.040272.

Abstract

Media reports suggested increased public demand for anthrax prophylaxis after the intentional anthrax cases in 2001, but the magnitude of anthrax-related prescribing in unaffected regions was not assessed. We surveyed a random sample of 400 primary care clinicians in Minnesota and Wisconsin to assess requests for and provision of anthrax-related antimicrobial agents. The survey was returned by 239 (60%) of clinicians, including 210 in outpatient practice. Fifty-eight (28%) of those in outpatient practice received requests for anthrax-related antimicrobial agents, and 9 (4%) dispensed them. Outpatient fluoroquinolone use in both states was also analyzed with regression models to compare predicted and actual use in October and November 2001. Fluoroquinolone use as a proportion of total antimicrobial use was not elevated, and anthrax concerns accounted for an estimated 0.3% of all fluoroquinolone prescriptions. Most physicians in Minnesota and Wisconsin managed anthrax-related requests without dispensing antimicrobial agents.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Anthrax / prevention & control*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Antibiotic Prophylaxis / statistics & numerical data*
  • Bacillus anthracis
  • Bioterrorism*
  • Fluoroquinolones / therapeutic use*
  • Health Care Surveys
  • Minnesota
  • Outpatients
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care / statistics & numerical data*
  • Practice Patterns, Physicians' / statistics & numerical data
  • Primary Health Care
  • Wisconsin

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Fluoroquinolones