This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Sign in
Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Injection anthrax

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Injection anthrax is a novel form which has recently been recognised.

  • acquired through using heroin contaminated with anthrax spores
  • users have frequently but not exclusively been injectors

Cases in the UK have presented in a variety of ways:

  • severe soft tissue infection, including necrotizing fasciitis and cellulitis/ abscess, particularly if associated with oedema which is often marked. Compartment syndrome has also been noted
  • signs of severe sepsis, with or without evidence of soft tissue infection.
  • meningitis (especially haemorrhagic meningitis) including clinical and/or CT evidence suggestive of subarachnoid haemorrhage or intracranial bleed
  • gastrointestinal symptoms - abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, GI haemorrhage (1)

Reference:

Related pages

Create an account to add page annotations

Create a free account

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.