炭疽杆菌在世界各地的土壤中都有发现。通常于放牧中接触或摄入芽孢而感染。人类可能因接触受感染的动物或动物制品(即,皮、羊毛和象牙)感染炭疽。以往吸入性炭疽或毛工病一直与大规模皮和羊毛的加工有关,因为这种加工会导致孢子形成气溶胶。几例病例均与制备和使用受炭疽杆菌孢子污染的动物皮有关。[9]Nguyen TQ, Clark N, Karpati A, et al; 2006 NYC Anthrax Working Group. Public health and environmental response to the first case of naturally acquired inhalational anthrax in the United States in 30 years: infection of a New York City resident who worked with dried animal hides. J Public Health Manag Pract. 2010;16:189-200.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20357604?tool=bestpractice.com[10]Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Gastrointestinal anthrax after an animal-hide drumming event - New Hampshire and Massachusetts, 2009. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2010;59:872-877.http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5928a3.htmhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20651643?tool=bestpractice.com[11]Anaraki S, Addiman S, Nixon G, et al. Investigations and control measures following a case of inhalation anthrax in East London in a drum maker and drummer, October 2008. Euro Surveill. 2008;13:19076.http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=19076http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19094916?tool=bestpractice.com
1979至1985年在津巴布韦发生了大约1万例皮肤炭疽,是已知最大的炭疽疫情。[12]Mwenye KS, Siziya S, Peterson D. Factors associated with human anthrax outbreak in the Chikupo and Ngandu villages of Murewa district in Mashonaland East Province, Zimbabwe. Cent Afr J Med. 1996;42:312-315.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9130412?tool=bestpractice.com1979 年,从俄罗斯斯维尔德洛夫斯克军事研究机构意外泄漏的炭疽杆菌芽孢造成了 66 人死亡。[7]Meselson M, Guillemin J, Hugh-Jones M, et al. The Sverdlovsk anthrax outbreak of 1979. Science. 1994;266:1202-1208.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7973702?tool=bestpractice.com
在美国从1900至2000年只报告过18例吸入性炭疽。[13]Brachman P. Inhalation anthrax. Ann NY Acad Sci. 1980;353:83-93.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7013615?tool=bestpractice.com2001 年在美国邮件蓄意污染事件之后,凸显了炭疽作为生物武器的这一可能;当时共计发现 11 例吸入性炭疽病例和 11 例皮肤炭疽病例,其中 5 例致死。[14]Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Investigation of bioterrorism-related anthrax - Connecticut, 2001. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2001:50:1077-1079.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11770501?tool=bestpractice.com[15]Jernigan DB, Raghunathan PL, Bell BP, et al; National Anthrax Epidemiologic Investigation Team. Investigation of bioterrorism-related anthrax, United States, 2001: epidemiologic findings. Emerg Infect Dis. 2002;8:1019-1028.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2730292/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12396909?tool=bestpractice.com此后美国只在 2006 年和 2011 年报告过 2 例吸入性炭疽。
孤立的摄入性炭疽(胃肠/口咽)比较罕见。美国报告的最近一例是在 2009 年。关于摄入性炭疽的数据经常是根据黎巴嫩贝卡谷地 1960 至 1974 年报告的 100 例人类病例外推的。[16]Kanafani ZA, Ghossain A, Sharara AI, et al. Endemic gastrointestinal anthrax in 1960s Lebanon: clinical manifestations and surgical findings. Emerg Infect Dis. 2003;9:520-525.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12737733?tool=bestpractice.com
曾在苏格兰的静脉内药物使用者中发生过一次炭疽暴发,造成数人死亡。[17]Health Protection Scotland. An outbreak of anthrax among drug users in Scotland, December 2009 to December 2010: a report on behalf of the National Anthrax Outbreak Control Team. December 2011 [internet publication].http://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/resourcedocument.aspx?id=26 感染与注射、摄入或吸入(鼻吸)海洛因有关。 类似的,在英国、德国和挪威有小规模疫情报告。[18]Grunow R, Klee SR, Beyer W, et al. Anthrax among heroin users in Europe possibly caused by same Bacillus anthracis strain since 2000. Euro Surveill. 2013;18:20437.http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=20437http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23557972?tool=bestpractice.com 有证据表明,20世纪70年代及以后在中东这也定期发生。 2010年,在英国有47例静脉吸毒者受皮肤及皮下炭疽感染影响;疫情暴发导致13例感染相关死亡。[19]Knox D, Murray G, Millar M, et al. Subcutaneous anthrax in three intravenous drug users: a new clinical diagnosis. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2011;93:414-417.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21357967?tool=bestpractice.com 美国目前尚没有关于注射所致炭疽的报道。
CDC: a history of anthrax