Cutaneous Anthrax—Still a Reality in India

Abstract

Anthrax, a toxigenic zoonosis, incidentally affecting humans has become rare but endemic outbreaks still continue to occur in tropical countries like India, parts of South America, and Europe where veterinary control of livestock is marginal and environmental conditions favor an animal–soil–animal cycle. India, with its largest population of livestock in the world, continues to have anthrax outbreaks with highest incidence reported from south, and the authors have reported an outbreak of 23 cases from 1998 to 2001 from south India. Children outnumbered adults and most of them had lesions on the exposed sites. However, there is a limited documentation of anthrax outbreaks from India warranting the need for sensitizing and creating awareness among health care professionals to identify and report these cases at the earliest so that appropriate actions are taken. Anthrax continues to retain a certain fascination and notoriety because of the potential for use of the bacillus spores in biologic warfare.