title: Traditions, anthrax, and children.
abstract: Anthrax is sporadically seen in Turkey, especially among people who live in rural areas and who come in contact with animals. Two siblings with cutaneous anthrax are described in this report. A week before their admission to the hospital, contaminated cow's blood was smeared on their foreheads as part of a traditional ritual. Both children were successfully treated with crystalline penicillin. In developing countries, traditions such as blood smearing may be an important factor in the transmission of anthrax to children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Infectious Disease, Ankara University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey. erginciftci@doctor.com
authors.forename: Ergin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ciftçi
authors.forename: Erdal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ince
authors.forename: Ulker
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Doğru
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000881:Anthrax / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000662:veterinary; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003469:Culture; D005006:Ethnicity; D005148:Facial Dermatoses / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000635:transmission*; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology