Impact of traditional cutaneous scarification on anthrax lesions: A series of cases from Cubal, Angola
Objectives: Bacillus anthracis infection is a worldwide zoonosis that affects the most vulnerable population and has a high mortality rate without treatment, especially in non-cutaneous presentations. Cutaneous scarification is still common in some regions of the world for the treatment of certain d...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-03-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Infectious Diseases |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971224000043 |
| _version_ | 1827346875205812224 |
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| author | Joan Martínez-Campreciós Milagros Moreno Fernando Salvador Ester Del Barrio-Tofiño Arlete Nindia Maria Luisa Aznar Israel Molina |
| author_facet | Joan Martínez-Campreciós Milagros Moreno Fernando Salvador Ester Del Barrio-Tofiño Arlete Nindia Maria Luisa Aznar Israel Molina |
| author_sort | Joan Martínez-Campreciós |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives: Bacillus anthracis infection is a worldwide zoonosis that affects the most vulnerable population and has a high mortality rate without treatment, especially in non-cutaneous presentations. Cutaneous scarification is still common in some regions of the world for the treatment of certain diseases as part of traditional medicine. We describe a series of cutaneus anthrax from a rural setting in Angola where cutaneus scarification is common. Case presentation: This is a retrospective observational study describing a series of cutaneous anthrax cases from Cubal (Angola), many of whom were treated with skin scarification before admission. A total of 26 cases were diagnosed from January 2010 to December 2018. None of the cases were confirmed and eight (30.8%) were probable cases according to the Centers for the Disease Control and Prevention anthrax case definition. The median age was 11 (4.7-30.5) years, 17 (65.4%) had lesions on the head, face, or neck and 15 (57.7%) were treated with cutaneous scarification. Nine (34.6%) patients died. Traditional cutaneous scarification was significantly associated with cutaneous superinfection, respiratory, systemic involvement, and death. Conclusion: Our case series points to increased complications and worse outcome of cutaneous anthrax disease if treated with skin scarification. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T23:39:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-31a5ea36fc2c4b15b24df5429980cb93 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1201-9712 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T23:39:06Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Infectious Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-31a5ea36fc2c4b15b24df5429980cb932024-02-20T04:18:53ZengElsevierInternational Journal of Infectious Diseases1201-97122024-03-01140104109Impact of traditional cutaneous scarification on anthrax lesions: A series of cases from Cubal, AngolaJoan Martínez-Campreciós0Milagros Moreno1Fernando Salvador2Ester Del Barrio-Tofiño3Arlete Nindia4Maria Luisa Aznar5Israel Molina6International Health Unit Vall D'Hebron-Drassanes, Infectious Diseases Department, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, PROSICS Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, SpainHospital Nossa Senhora da Paz, Cubal, AngolaInternational Health Unit Vall D'Hebron-Drassanes, Infectious Diseases Department, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, PROSICS Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, SpainDepartment of Microbiology, Hospital Universitari Vall Hebron, Barcelona, Spain.Hospital Nossa Senhora da Paz, Cubal, AngolaInternational Health Unit Vall D'Hebron-Drassanes, Infectious Diseases Department, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, PROSICS Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Corresponding author: Tel.: +34 934 89 30 00.International Health Unit Vall D'Hebron-Drassanes, Infectious Diseases Department, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, PROSICS Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, SpainObjectives: Bacillus anthracis infection is a worldwide zoonosis that affects the most vulnerable population and has a high mortality rate without treatment, especially in non-cutaneous presentations. Cutaneous scarification is still common in some regions of the world for the treatment of certain diseases as part of traditional medicine. We describe a series of cutaneus anthrax from a rural setting in Angola where cutaneus scarification is common. Case presentation: This is a retrospective observational study describing a series of cutaneous anthrax cases from Cubal (Angola), many of whom were treated with skin scarification before admission. A total of 26 cases were diagnosed from January 2010 to December 2018. None of the cases were confirmed and eight (30.8%) were probable cases according to the Centers for the Disease Control and Prevention anthrax case definition. The median age was 11 (4.7-30.5) years, 17 (65.4%) had lesions on the head, face, or neck and 15 (57.7%) were treated with cutaneous scarification. Nine (34.6%) patients died. Traditional cutaneous scarification was significantly associated with cutaneous superinfection, respiratory, systemic involvement, and death. Conclusion: Our case series points to increased complications and worse outcome of cutaneous anthrax disease if treated with skin scarification.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971224000043Cutaneous anthraxTraditional skin scarificationSystemic involvement |
| spellingShingle | Joan Martínez-Campreciós Milagros Moreno Fernando Salvador Ester Del Barrio-Tofiño Arlete Nindia Maria Luisa Aznar Israel Molina Impact of traditional cutaneous scarification on anthrax lesions: A series of cases from Cubal, Angola International Journal of Infectious Diseases Cutaneous anthrax Traditional skin scarification Systemic involvement |
| title | Impact of traditional cutaneous scarification on anthrax lesions: A series of cases from Cubal, Angola |
| title_full | Impact of traditional cutaneous scarification on anthrax lesions: A series of cases from Cubal, Angola |
| title_fullStr | Impact of traditional cutaneous scarification on anthrax lesions: A series of cases from Cubal, Angola |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of traditional cutaneous scarification on anthrax lesions: A series of cases from Cubal, Angola |
| title_short | Impact of traditional cutaneous scarification on anthrax lesions: A series of cases from Cubal, Angola |
| title_sort | impact of traditional cutaneous scarification on anthrax lesions a series of cases from cubal angola |
| topic | Cutaneous anthrax Traditional skin scarification Systemic involvement |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971224000043 |
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