Volume 23, Number 5—May 2017
Historical Review
Anthrax Cases Associated with Animal-Hair Shaving Brushes
Figure

Figure. Timeline of use of shaving brushes and anthrax, 1915—1989. Case totals for the United States were reported in 1924 and 1930 and included 2 cases for 1927 through mid-1929, but the exact year of occurrence was unspecified (5,6). Data for English-language case descriptions were obtained from a systematic review of systemic anthrax cases published during 1880–2013 (7). Individual cases were reported from the United States, with the following exceptions: 1917, 1 definite case from England; 1918, 2 definite cases from Canada; 1920, 1 definite case from England; 1924, 1 possible case from South Africa; 1935, 1 definite case from Trinidad (8); and 1989, 1 possible case from India (9).
References
- Carey HW. Anthrax from the shaving brush and primary anthrax meningitis. Am J Med Sci. 1920;159:742–6. DOIGoogle Scholar
- Symmers D, Cady DW. Occurrence of virulent anthrax bacilli in cheap shaving brushes. JAMA. 1921;77:2120–1. DOIGoogle Scholar
- Hubbard DS. Anthrax in animal hair. JAMA. 1920;75:1687–90.
- Shaving brushes anthrax carriers. The New York Times. 1919 Aug 18: 1 (col 1).
- World Health Organization. Anthrax in humans and animals, 4th ed. Geneva: The Organization. 2008. p. 18–20.
- Stein CD. The history and distribution of anthrax in livestock in the United States. Vet Med. 1945;40:340–9.
- Animals and Animal Products, 9 C.F.R. Sect. 95.3–95.8 (2016).
- World Organisation for Animal Health. Anthrax. Terrestrial Animal Health Code. Chapter 8.1 Paris: The Organisation; 2016.