As the new year begins, health officials report another puzzling instance of a deadly infectious disease. A January 1 case study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Louisiana health authorities details the ninth case of 'welder's anthrax,' a rare and often fatal condition first identified in 2022.
The case involved an otherwise healthy 18-year-old metalworker in Louisiana who fell ill in September 2024. With no underlying health conditions or risk factors like smoking or alcohol use, his condition deteriorated shortly after he developed a cough. The teen was admitted to an intensive care unit with severe pneumonia and respiratory failure, requiring intubation and mechanical ventilation.
Blood tests were positive for a bacterium from the Bacillus cereus group, which includes the species responsible for classic anthrax. Doctors quickly connected the diagnosis to his occupation. For six months before his illness, the teen had been working as a welder’s apprentice in the shipbuilding and repair industry.
Suspecting 'welder’s anthrax,' doctors swiftly obtained access to an anthrax antitoxin from the US Strategic National Stockpile, a reserve maintained for bioterror threats. Together with an appropriate antibiotic regimen, the intervention led to the teen's rapid recovery, with extubation within 72 hours. This timely medical response likely saved his life, as six of the previous eight cases were fatal.
While the outcome is positive, the report underscores a troubling, unexplained trend of metalworkers contracting this rare infection. Typically, anthrax is caused by Bacillus anthracis, which enters the body through skin contact, ingestion, or inhalation. The bacteria can evade the immune system, producing lethal toxins that cause cell death and swelling. Over two decades, only nine anthrax cases have been documented in the US.
However, B. anthracis belongs to the broader Bacillus cereus group, including B. cereus and the newly identified B. tropicus species, both capable of producing anthrax toxins. These bacteria are commonly found in soils, with B. cereus being widespread in the environment.