Recommended Specimens for Microbiology and Pathology for Diagnosis of Anthrax

Cutaneous, gastrointestinal, inhalation, injection and meningeal anthrax can be diagnosed using a combination of microbiology and pathology testing methods. Specimens should be collected for any patient with symptoms compatible with anthrax, with or without a confirmed epidemiological link to a known or high risk exposure.

Prior to sending specimens to CDC for anthrax diagnostic testing, first consult with and obtain authorization from your state health department and contact the CDC Emergency Operations Center at 1-770-488-7100 for an anthrax testing consultation. Once approval has been obtained from your state health department and from CDC, please submit your specimen following the recommendations below.

Note: These recommendations also apply to specimen submissions for identification of infections caused by Bacillus cereus biovar anthracis.

By Clinical Presentation

This image depicts the surface of a patient’s forearm, on which you’re able to see an example of a cutaneous anthrax lesion, caused by the bacterium, Bacillus anthracis.

By Specimen Type

This is a photomicrograph of a hematoxylin-eosin (H&E)-stained lymph node tissue sample, harvested at the time of autopsy, from a 33 year-old patient, who had succumbed to a fatal case of inhalation anthrax, caused by the bacterium, Bacillus anthracis.

Additional Information

Diagnosis and Testing

Collecting Specimens

Packaging and Shipping Specimens

Confirming Anthrax

Page last reviewed: November 20, 2020

Content source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology (DHCPP)