Does CDC recommend the use of home test kits for anthrax?
Hand-held assays (sometimes referred to as “Smart Tickets”) are sold commercially for the rapid detection of Bacillus anthracis. These assays are intended only for the screening of environmental samples. First responder and law enforcement communities are using these as instant screening devices and should forward any positive samples to authorities for more sensitive and specialized confirmatory testing. The results of these assays should not be used to make decisions about patient management or prophylaxis. The utility and validity of these assays are unknown.
