Cutaneous Anthrax: Two Pediatric Case Reports

Anthrax is a zoonosis that affects herbivorous animals. Its causative agent is Bacillus anthracis and it is gram-positive, aerobic or facultatively anaerobic, immobile and has a polypeptide capsule. Its incidence is gradually decreasing in the world and in our country. The disease is especially common in regions dealing with animal husbandry and in periods when contact with questionable animal meat increases. In this article, two pediatric cases who developed symptoms after contact with animal meat suspected of anthrax during Eid al-Adha in & Idot;stanbul were shared. In both cases, cutaneous anthrax was observed as a result of contact with animal meat. The blood culture of the patients was negative, and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was positive for Bacillus anthracis. Ciprofloxacin treatment was started for the cases, and the cases recovered without complications. The most common form of anthrax is cutaneous anthrax. It starts as a small, painless but often itchy papule. Ciprofloxacin can be used as monotherapy as a treatment option in penicillin-resistant strains.