In 2022, CDC researchers found an unexpected pattern. Since 1997, there had been seven cases of infections from Bacillus group bacteria producing the anthrax toxin—all in metalworkers. Six of the seven were welders, hence the term “welder’s anthrax,” with the remaining case in a person working in a foundry grinding metal. Of the six cases where a specific Bacillus species was identified, B. tropicus was the culprit, including in the newly reported case.
Speculating risks
It’s unclear why metalworkers, and welders specifically, are uniquely vulnerable to this infection. In their 2022 report making the connection, CDC experts speculated that it may be a combination of having weakened immune responses
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