BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Cutaneous anthrax usually has a mortality rate of less than 1 per cent. However, since December 2009 there have been more than 13 deaths in the UK due to anthrax-contaminated heroin. We therefore wish to raise clinical awareness of this treatable disease. CASE REPORT: We describe the case of a heroin user with an equivocal presentation of cellulitis in the neck. Within 36 hours, this led to death due to cutaneous anthrax. CONCLUSION: Whilst cutaneous anthrax remains rare, this case report aims to raise awareness of the fact that the symptoms and signs of this condition in intravenous drug users may not always fit the typical picture.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Cutaneous anthrax usually has a mortality rate of less than 1 per cent. However, since December 2009 there have been more than 13 deaths in the UK due to anthrax-contaminated heroin. We therefore wish to raise clinical awareness of this treatable disease. CASE REPORT: We describe the case of a heroin user with an equivocal presentation of cellulitis in the neck. Within 36 hours, this led to death due to cutaneous anthrax. CONCLUSION: Whilst cutaneous anthrax remains rare, this case report aims to raise awareness of the fact that the symptoms and signs of this condition in intravenous drug users may not always fit the typical picture.
Authors: D J Inverarity; V M Forrester; J G R Cumming; P J Paterson; R J Campbell; T J G Brooks; G L Carson; J P Ruddy Journal: Epidemiol Infect Date: 2014-07-31 Impact factor: 4.434
Authors: Karen E Kempsell; Stephen P Kidd; Kuiama Lewandowski; Michael J Elmore; Sue Charlton; Annemarie Yeates; Hannah Cuthbertson; Bassam Hallis; Daniel M Altmann; Mitch Rogers; Pierre Wattiau; Rebecca J Ingram; Tim Brooks; Richard Vipond Journal: Front Microbiol Date: 2015-08-13 Impact factor: 5.640