[Epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of anthrax in patients at the University Hospital in Split 1956-1987].

This paper discusses the epidemiological and some clinical characteristics of 61 patients who were diagnosed as having anthrax at the Department of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Split in the period from January 1, 1956, to December 31, 1987. The pathogenesis of the disease is also reviewed. Clinical diagnosis was confirmed in 36 (59.02%) patients, 32 (52.46%) were diagnosed by microscopic examination of Gram's stained smears and 4 (6.56%) patients by cutaneous lesion fluid culture. In 54 (88.52%) patients the disease presented as a malignant pustule and in 7 (11.48%) as a malignant edema. Only 3 patients had clinical signs of septicemia, but the diagnosis was not confirmed by positive blood cultures in none of these patients. The subjects contracted the infection either by a direct contact with a diseased animal or indirectly by contaminated products of animal origin or by hematophagic insects in approximate ratio 8:2:1. No mode of infection was identified in 27 (44.26%) patients. The male/female and professional/nonprofessional anthrax ratio was 1:1. The majority of children were in the 0-9-year and 30-39-year age groups. Most of the patients were treated with penicillin, and the others with tetracyclines or a combination of antibiotics. Serum was applied in 29 (47.54%) patients. Only one patient died (1.64%). Three different modes of infection are described in the last four treated patients.