1/4. Cutaneous anthrax on eyelids.BACKGROUND: Ophthalmologists should be aware of the signs and symptoms of anthrax, although it is a rare disease in humans. We report our successful treatment of three patients with cutaneous lesions in the periorbital area. CASES: In this study, we report on the treatment of three female patients who were initially diagnosed as having preseptal cellulitis. OBSERVATIONS: Gram-positive robs were revealed in the microscopic examination of scrapings taken from the lesions. bacillus anthracis was found in only two of the three scraping-material cultures. Intravenous penicillin g was administered in all cases. Black and necrotic eschar, which is characteristic of anthrax, developed on the eyelids of all three patients during treatment. At the final examinations of the patients after the completion of treatment, we recognized the development of cicatrisation, lagophthalmos, and slight ectropion in the upper eyelid of the first patient, and, in the second patient, restriction of upper eyelid movement and development of a corneal scar from exposure keratopathy and ectropion. The cutaneous lesions healed without any eyelid pathology in the third patient. CONCLUSION: Although it is a rare disease in humans, anthrax should be considered in the differential diagnosis of preseptal and orbital cellulitis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = rare disease (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/4. Wound botulism.Wound botulism is a rare infectious and toxicologic complication of trauma and i.v. drug abuse. Only 39 cases have been reported in detail in the English literature. This case report describes a patient with wound botulism who presented to four medical facilities before receiving definitive diagnosis and treatment. Although his history and physical examination were consistent with wound botulism, diagnosis and therapy were delayed because this rare disease was not considered initially in the differential diagnosis. Wound botulism should be considered in trauma patients and i.v. drug abusers who present with cranial nerve palsies and descending paresis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.5keywords = rare disease (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/4. A case of cutaneous anthrax.A 63-year-old man developed black crusts on the parietal scalp that showed mixed infections of dermatophytes and bacillus anthracis on culture. The lesions improved with bifonazole, griseofulvin and bacampicillin hydrochloride. Although cutaneous anthrax is now a very rare disease, the mortality is high in untreated cases. If a patient has black crusts, anthrax should be differentiated firstly.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.5keywords = rare disease (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/4. Extraordinary case report: cutaneous anthrax.anthrax is a very rare disease in the United Kingdom. It is caused by the spore-forming bacterium bacillus anthracis. humans become infected when they come into contact with infected animals or their products. Cutaneous anthrax, the most common form of the disease, accounts for 95% of cases, and the disease usually developing on exposed sites. We present a patient who developed cutaneous disease after exposure to untreated leather. Owing to the initial clinical information, the biopsy specimen was misinterpreted as representing a severe acute insect bite reaction. The subsequent involvement by the Department of microbiology established the correct diagnosis. Because today the disease is so rare in europe and the united states, sporadic cases of anthrax are easily overlooked as the diagnosis often is not considered. Cutaneous anthrax should be considered in any patient with a painless ulcer with vesicles, edema, and a history of exposure to animals or animal products.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.5keywords = rare disease (Clic here for more details about this article) |