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Demand for prophylaxis after bioterrorism-related anthrax cases, 2001.

Edward A Belongia·Burney Kieke·Ruth Lynfield·Jeffrey P Davis·Richard E Besser
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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.

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AnthraxAnti-Bacterial AgentsAntibiotic ProphylaxisBacillus anthracisBioterrorismFluoroquinolonesHealth Care SurveysMinnesotaOutpatientsPatient Acceptance of Health CarePractice Patterns, Physicians'Primary Health CareWisconsinJournal ArticleResearch Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

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Edward A Belongia, Burney Kieke, Ruth Lynfield, Jeffrey P Davis, Richard E Besser. 2005. Demand for prophylaxis after bioterrorism-related anthrax cases, 2001.. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1101.040272

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