Anthrax: clinical investigation in the Peruvian Andes

• Autor: SALINAS, DAVID
• Formato: artículo
• Fecha de Publicación: 2004
• Institución: Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos
• Repositorio: Revistas - Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos
• Lenguaje: español
• OAI Identifier: oai:ojs.csi.unmsm:article/1376
• Enlace del recurso: https://revistasinvestigacion.unmsm.edu.pe/index.php/anales/article/view/1376
• Nivel de acceso: acceso abierto
• Materia: Carbunco; ántrax; Perú; Huancavelica; altitud; ecosistema andino; Anthrax; Peru; altitude; Andean ecosystem

Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics of anthrax infection in patients from this town. Material and Methods: Twenty-nine suspect cases of cutaneous anthrax from Santiago de Chocorvos were studied. Cutaneous lesions had histopathology study in eleven patients with a clinical diagnosis of anthrax, along with Gram-stained smears study in six of these patients. Results: All patients presented a limited cutaneous infection. Disease started with a macule associated with itching or parestesia, that progressed to papule and ulcer. The bottom of the ulcer covered with a yellowish eschar that later became dark. An image that suggested B. anthracis was identified in a patient’s Gram stain smear. Conclusions: Anthrax is a disease that may occur at high altitude areas. Clinical characteristics of high altitude anthrax are similar to those described at the scientific literature.