Cases of cutaneous anthrax in eastern Turkey: The reports of three cases

Anthrax is an acute disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. This bacteria can form dormant endospores. When spores are inhaled, ingested, or come into contact with a skin lesion on a host, they may become reactivated multiply and rapidly. B. anthracis bacterial spores are soil-borne. Because of their long lifespan, spores are present globally and remain at the burial sites of animals killed by anthrax for many decades. Diseased animals can spread anthrax to humans, either by direct contact or by consumption of a diseased animal’s flesh. The most frequent clinical type of anthrax is cutaneous anthrax. It presents as a boil-like skin lesion that eventually forms an ulcer with a black center (eschar). Cutaneous anthrax form often within the site of spore penetration between two and five days after exposure. Until the 20 th century, anthrax infections killed thousands of animals and people worldwide each year. Animal vaccination programs and antibiotic therapy were decreased the number of deaths. But, anthrax is still a problem in less developed countries. It has been reported that the incidence of disease has decreased in Turkey. However, we present here in three cases of cutaneous anthrax admitted to the emergency department of our hospital within a week.