Umut GÜLAÇTI, Cemal ÜSTÜN, Mehmet Özgür ERDOĞAN

A Small Cutaneous Anthrax Epidemic in Eastern Turkey

Anahtar Kelimeler:

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A Small Cutaneous Anthrax Epidemic in Eastern Turkey

Objectives: This study aims to investigate an epidemic of cutaneous anthrax in Tunceli Province, Eastern Turkey. Materials and methods: Seven cases with cutaneous anthrax, admitted to emergency room, were diagnosed and followed at Elazig Harput State Hospital in August 2011. The possible sources of epidemic and clinical characteristics of the patients were evaluated. Results: The mean age of seven cases with cutaneous anthrax was 34.1±8 years, of whom four were male and three were female. All patients were from the same village of Cemisgezek, Tunceli, and all of them had contacted with a dead animal. Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid-resistant Bacillus anthracis was recovered from a patient\' wound. This resistance may be related with the inappropriate use of antibiotics in animal and animal husbandry practices. Conclusion: Most of natural originated anthrax cases are cutaneous. Although the incidence of anthrax has decreased in Turkey, the disease is still endemic in the eastern part of the country.

Keywords:

Anthrax, epidemic, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid antibiotic resistance,

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