[GWfan]

Anthrax is a gram positive rod. The vaginal bleeding could be due to a number of things, STD being the most common, CA, and other bacterial infections such as staph. She should know this.

[Dog Gone]

She does know this. However, the organism looks like anthrax and they haven't been able to identify it. The hospital is running additional tests to determine what it is and whether the initial test was flawed in some fashion. Meanwhile, toxins in the patient's bloodstream have severely damaged the liver and it has practically shut down.

As I said, it's natural for people to see anthrax boogeymen everywhere today, and I'm inclined to believe that this is something unfortunate but completely unrelated. I'm no medical professional by any means, and I'm not at all qualified to offer an opinion that means anything. And I'm obviously posting hearsay stuff, and probably an incomplete account, too.

I do know that the hospital is taking this very seriously and some of the physicians are in favor of calling a press conference, but the hospital board, wisely I think, wants more information before doing that. There's a fine line between full disclosure and needlessly alarming the public who are already on edge.