Case 12 CONFIRMED
Characteristics 35-year-old male, employed as mail processor
Onset date October 14, 2001
Medical care date October 16, 2001
MMWR date 50 (42), Oct. 26, 2001
Location Hamilton Township mail center, New Jersey
Probable source Daschle or Leahy letters postmarked October 9
Disease type Cutaneous anthrax
Details On October 16, the patient with a history of a chronic, bullous-like skin condition, was taken to a local hospital complaining of a 2-day history of a large pustular lesion on his neck. He returned 1 day later with increasing ulceration of the skin lesion associated with fatigue, chills, and a swollen throat; he was afebile but had vesicles and bullae around the pustular lesion. Biopsy was positive by IHC, and serologic testing was reactive to B. anthracis. The patient's lesions responded to antimicrobial therapy.

Click for news account of Patrick O'Donnell (11/11/01)

Click for news of health follow-up of Patrick O'Donnell (9/16/02)

Click for one-year follow-up of Patrick O'Donnell (10/14/02)

Click for follow-up of Patrick O'Donnell nearly seven years later (8/02/08)
Death date Not applicable