Case 15 CONFIRMED
On October 21, the man was admitted to the
hospital with suspected inhalational anthrax. The patient had initially
sought medical care at a physician's office on October 18 for 2 days of
progressive fatigue, myalgias, and fever. The patient had a temperature of
102 F (38.9 C) and normal white blood cell count and was sent home. The
patient returned to the ED on October 21 with persistent symptoms, including
chills, vague chest tightness, and temperature of 102 F (38.9 C). Chest
radiograph revealed right middle and lower lobe alveolar infiltrates and
right hilar and peritracheal soft tissue fullness. Evaluation revealed
hypoxia, leukocytosis, and hemoconcentration. Antimicrobial therapy was
initiated, and the patient was mechanically ventilated. The patient's
condition deteriorated, and he died on October 21. Blood cultures obtained
on admission to the hospital grew gram-positive bacilli, which were
confirmed later as B. anthracis at CDC.
Click for clinical details (Emerging Inf Diseases)
Click for more clinical details (.pdf file, JAMA, patient 2).
Click for news account of Thomas Morris, Jr. (10/26/01)
Click for news account of lawsuit (11/14/01)
Click for news account of unfolding events (11/19/01)
Click for news account of comparative medical care (11/27/01)
Click for MMWR account of Brentwood postal facility anthrax testing
(12/21/01)
Click for pending legal case on behalf of Thomas Morris, Jr.
(3/11/02)
Click for filing of lawsuit on behalf of Thomas Morris, Jr. (3/27/02)
Click for settlement of lawsuit on behalf of Thomas Morris, Jr. (8/9/02)
Click for renaming of Brentwood Post Office after Thomas Morris, Jr. (9/26/02)
Click for remembrance service for Thomas Morris, Jr. five years later (10/25/06)
Click for follow-up of Morris, Jr.'s family nearly seven years later (8/07/08)