Cutaneous Anthrax After a Cat Scratch: A Case Report

Abstract

Despite a global decline, Central Asia and Africa remain vulnerable to anthrax. Anthrax is usually caused by bacteria that enter the body through a wound from slaughtering sick animals. 95% of anthrax cases are skin-related. After 1 to 7 days, the spores in skin abrasion become vegetative. We present a 42-year-old woman with a cat scratch history who had small itchy blisters and swelling around a painless skin ulcer with a black core, low-grade fever, and hypotension. She had anemia, hypotension, and bilateral lower limb ulcers. Wound culture showed gram-positive bacilli compatible with B. anthracis. Blood transfusion, Ciprofloxacin 200mg/100ml twice daily, Meropenem 1g three times daily, and Clindamycin 600mg three times daily was given. Her amputated gangrene-infected finger helped her recover. Early diagnosis, antibiotic therapy, and preventive measures like immunization help control epidemics. This sporadic case of cutaneous anthrax alerts physicians.