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Unusual cause of fatal anthrax meningitis

Emine Parlak1, Mehmet Parlak, Seval Bilgiç Atli

  • 1Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Atatürk University , Erzurum , Turkey and.

Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology
|April 1, 2014
PubMed

Insights

A rare case of fatal anthrax meningoencephalitis caused by Bacillus anthracis occurred in Turkey. Despite aggressive treatment with penicillin and ciprofloxacin, the patient succumbed to the infection.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Anthrax, caused by Bacillus anthracis, is a serious infectious disease.
  • Meningoencephalitis is a severe inflammation of the brain and its surrounding membranes.
  • Eastern Anatolia, Turkey, is a region where anthrax cases are occasionally reported.

Observation:

  • A patient in Muş province, eastern Anatolia, presented with symptoms suggestive of meningoencephalitis.
  • Cerebrospinal fluid analysis confirmed the presence of Bacillus anthracis.
  • The patient received intravenous treatment with high-dose crystallized penicillin G and ciprofloxacin.

Findings:

  • The patient experienced a fatal outcome, dying 5 days after hospitalization.
  • This case highlights the potential for Bacillus anthracis to cause severe neurological complications, including hemorrhagic meningitis.
  • Despite prompt and aggressive antimicrobial therapy, the infection proved lethal.

Implications:

  • This case underscores the critical need for early diagnosis and effective treatment strategies for anthrax meningoencephalitis.
  • Healthcare providers in endemic areas should maintain a high index of suspicion for anthrax, even with neurological presentations.
  • Further research into optimal treatment regimens for severe anthrax neurological involvement is warranted.
Keywords:
AnthraxBacillus anthraciscutaneous anthraxhemorrhagic meningitisintraparenchymal hemorrhage

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