Survey of Clinical features, laboratory and outcome of patients hospitalized with anthrax

Background and Anthrax is a zoonotic disease caused by gram-positive Bacillus anthracis spore. Iran is one of the areas contaminated by this disease. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and laboratory findings, and treatment of anthrax cases. This retrospective and descriptive study was performed in 28 patients with anthrax hospitalized in Razi Hospital, Ghaemshahr, during 2004 -2014. The required data were obtained from patients’ files. Data was analyzed by SPSS V.16. Among the patients 24 had cutaneous anthrax and intestinal anthrax and meningitis were seen in three and one patients, respectively. Twenty one patients (75%) lived in rural areas and seven (25%) were urban. The most common occupation in patients was ranching (35%). In patients with cutaneous anthrax, the most common symptoms were associated with edema and vesicles ulcer. Hands and fingers were the most susceptible. In anthrax-endemic areas, any suspicious lesions or none pitting edema, with or without necrotic lesions, should be examined for anthrax.