title: Naturally occurring cutaneous anthrax: antibiotic treatment and outcome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cutaneous anthrax (CA) is the most common clinical presentation in human anthrax, but the duration of antibiotic therapy in naturally occurring CA is controversial. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes of patients receiving antibiotic treatment for either 3-5 days (group 1) or 7-10 days (group 2) in uncomplicated CA.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 66 patients were enrolled; 29 (44%) in group 1 and 37 (56%) in group 2. Infections were classified as mild (n = 22, 33%) or severe (n = 44, 67%) CA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences between the groups in symptom resolution time, fever clearance time, healing of lesions, development and healing of eschars, requirement for surgical intervention or the development of complications. Both edema resolution time and duration of hospital stay were longer in group 2. There were no therapeutic failures, relapses or deaths in either group. Steroid therapy was used in 32% of patients with severe CA, but a beneficial effect on resolution of edema was not demonstrated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that short-course antibiotic therapy is as effective as standard-duration therapy in uncomplicated CA and that steroid therapy may not be effective.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Inonu University, Malatya, Turkey. uner.kayabas@inonu.edu.tr
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kayabas
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Karahocagil
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ozkurt
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Metan
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Parlak
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bayindir
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kalkan
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akdeniz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parlak
authors.forename: A J H
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Doganay
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000881:Anthrax / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010402:Penicillin G Procaine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010402:Penicillin G Procaine; D002939:Ciprofloxacin; D000658:Amoxicillin; D004318:Doxycycline