Fatal Pneumonia among Metalworkers Due to Inhalation Exposure to Bacillus cereus Containing Bacillus anthracis Toxin Genes
1Epidemic Intelligence Service, 2Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; 3Texas Department of State Health Services, Austin, 4Texas Department of State Health Services and 5United States Air Force, San Antonio, 6Texas Department of State Health Services, Canyon, and 7Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas; 8Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California; and 9Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico
Bacillus cereus pneumonia is unusual in nonimmunocompromised hosts. We describe fatal cases in 2 metalworkers and the associated investigation. Anthrax toxin genes were identified in B. cereus isolates from both patients using polymerase chain reaction. Finding anthrax toxin genes in non–Bacillus anthracis isolates has, to our knowledge, only been reported once previously.
Received 28 June 2006; accepted 12 October 2006; electronically published 27 December 2006.
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The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.