Immunological response of unvaccinated wool factory workers to Anthrax

Recently there was a study performed to determine immunological reactivity to Baccillus anthrax antigens. To accomplish this task scientists conducted serological testing of workers in a factory that performed scouring of wool and goal hair. During 19th and early 20th centuries industrial anthrax was a serious threat when the wool industry was flourishing. Anthrax is a zoonotic desease caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Its spores remain viable in the environment for years, therefore it represents a potential source of infection. The spores of B. anthracis were brought into wool factories with the organic matter that was contaminating the animal fibers. A skin contact with contaminated products from infected animals leads to cutaneous anthrax, the most common type of naturally acquired anthrax infection. In addition, it could also cause a respiratory disease through inhalation of sporulated anthrax.
Today, cases of human anthrax have more rare in Europe, although sometimes can result from contact with imported contaminated materials. In the United States, the most recent and widespread human anthrax epidemic was reported in 1957 in a large goat hair-processing mill in Manchester, New Hampshire. In the most recent study, a Belgium factory, that processes and scours wool and goat hair from all over the world, was inspected and a living anthrax spores were found in goat hair fibers, air dust, and uprocesses wastewater produced from goat hair scouring. At this factroy blood samples were obtained from 66 factory workers and after serological testing that was carried out at 2 time points 6 workers tested positive for having IgG antibodies present.
This study revieled that despite some progess that was made in improving the biological safety of the industrial prodessing of wool and goat hair, Bacillus anthracis still poses a health risk to modern wool workers. In addition, anthrax vaccines that could provide long-term immunity of both the humoral and cellular type, and would be highly desirable for protection of persons working with animal products, are not yet available for the general public.

Web source citations:

Patrick J. Meehan, M.D, "Responding to Detection of Aerosolized Bacillus anthracis by Autonomous Detection Systems in the Workplace" MMWR, April, 2004, .

Pierre Wattiau, "Immunologic Response of Unvaccinated Workers Exposed to Anthrax, Belgium" Emerging Infectious Diseases, October, 2009, .