title: Cutaneous anthrax: conservative or surgical treatment?
abstract: This article summarizes the diagnostic features and treatment recommendations for cutaneous anthrax, exemplified by a case report of nontypical cutaneous anthrax. The treatment of choice is medical, with ciprofloxacin or doxycycline the preferred antibiotics. However, surgical biopsy may be used if the clinical setting and microbiologic examination of swabs are not diagnostically conclusive. Histopathologic findings explain the clinical observation that most cutaneous anthrax lesions heal without scar formation.
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Janusz J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Godyn
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Siderits
authors.forename: Anup
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hazra
mesh_terms: D000881:Anthrax / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy; D023482:Bioterrorism / Q000517:prevention & control; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control; D008875:Middle Aged; D009515:New Jersey; D018579:Patient Selection; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002939:Ciprofloxacin; D004318:Doxycycline