Treatment of psoriasis in end-stage renal disease patients is associated with decreased mortality: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis impairs the quality of life of approximately 7.5 million Americans and is associated with serious comorbidities. Because of chronic vascular access and epidermal dysfunction, end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients with psoriasis may be at greater risk for infection, and psoriasis treatment could affect this risk. METHODS: A retrospective cohort analysis was performed using the United States Renal Data System from 2004-2011 to investigate the association of psoriasis with infections common to ESRD patients, as well as the effect of psoriasis treatment on infection risk as well as mortality. RESULTS: A total of 8,911 psoriasis patients were identified. Psoriasis was associated with a significantly increased risk for all queried infections, especially cellulitis (adjusted relative risk = 1.55), conjunctivitis (1.47), and onychomycosis (1.36). Psoriasis treatment (systemic, local, and light) was associated with a significantly decreased risk of some infections. Psoriasis treatment was also correlated with a significantly decreased risk of mortality, with systemic therapies (biologics and other immunosuppressants) showing the greatest reduction (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.55). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that psoriasis-ESRD patients may have an increased risk of infection and treatment of psoriasis is associated with a reduced risk of some infections and improved survival.

Added value of inflammatory markers to vital signs to predict mortality in patients suspected of severe infection.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the added value of inflammatory markers to vital signs to predict mortality in patients suspected of severe infection. METHODS: This study was conducted at an acute care hospital (471-bed capacity). Consecutive adult patients suspected of severe infection who presented to either ambulatory care or the emergency department from April 2015 to March 2017 were retrospectively evaluated. A prognostic model for predicting 30-day in-hospital mortality based on previously established vital signs (systolic blood pressure, respiratory rate, and mental status) was compared with an extended model that also included four inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, mean platelet volume, and red cell distribution width). Measures of interest were model fit, discrimination, and the net percentage of correctly reclassified individuals at the pre-specified threshold of 10% risk. RESULTS: Of the 1015 patients included, 66 (6.5%) died. The extended model including inflammatory markers performed significantly better than the vital sign model (likelihood ratio test: p < 0.001), and the c-index increased from 0.69 (range 0.67-0.70) to 0.76 (range 0.75-0.77) (p = 0.01). All included markers except C-reactive protein showed significant contribution to the model improvement. Among those who died, 9.1% (95% CI -2.8-21.8) were correctly reclassified by the extended model at the 10% threshold. CONCLUSIONS: The inflammatory markers except C-reactive protein showed added predictive value to vital signs. Future studies should focus on developing and validating prediction models for use in individualized predictions including both vital signs and the significant markers.

The EGS grading scale for skin and soft-tissue infections is predictive of poor outcomes: a multicenter validation study.

INTRODUCTION: Over the last 5 years, the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma has developed grading scales for emergency general surgery (EGS) diseases. In a previous validation study using diverticulitis, the grading scales were predictive of complications and length of stay. As EGS encompasses diverse diseases, the purpose of this study was to validate the grading scale concept against a different disease process with a higher associated mortality. We hypothesized that the grading scale would be predictive of complications, length of stay, and mortality in skin and soft-tissue infections (STIs). METHODS: This multi-institutional trial encompassed 12 centers. Data collected included demographic variables, disease characteristics, and outcomes such as mortality, overall complications, and hospital and ICU length of stay. The EGS scale for STI was used to grade each infection and two surgeons graded each case to evaluate inter-rater reliability. RESULTS: 1170 patients were included in this study. Inter-rater reliability was moderate (kappa coefficient 0.472-0.642, with 64-76% agreement). Higher grades (IV and V) corresponded to significantly higher Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis scores when compared with lower EGS grades. Patients with grade IV and V STI had significantly increased odds of all complications, as well as ICU and overall length of stay. These associations remained significant in logistic regression controlling for age, gender, comorbidities, mental status, and hospital-level volume. Grade V disease was significantly associated with mortality as well. CONCLUSION: This validation effort demonstrates that grade IV and V STI are significantly predictive of complications, hospital length of stay, and mortality. Though predictive ability does not improve linearly with STI grade, this is consistent with the clinical disease process in which lower grades represent cellulitis and abscess and higher grades are invasive infections. This second validation study confirms the EGS grading scale as predictive, and easily used, in disparate disease processes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic/Epidemiologic retrospective multicenter trial, level III.

Osteoarticular and skin and soft-tissue infections caused by Streptococcus agalactiae in elderly patients are frequently associated with bacteremia.

Older persons (≥65 years) are at risk for invasive group B streptococcal (GBS) infections. The most frequent clinical syndromes in 174 infection episodes were osteoarticular (40%) and skin and soft-tissue infections (30%). In 36% of episodes, a companion microorganism was isolated, and in 45%, blood culture results were positive. Antibiotics were streamlined after species identification in 29% of monomicrobial infections. These findings have clinical and therapeutic implications for GBS infections in the elderly.

Burns and long-term infectious disease morbidity: A population-based study.

BACKGROUND: There is a growing volume of data that indicates that serious injury suppresses immune function, predisposing individuals to infectious complications. With recent evidence showing long-term immune dysfunction after less severe burn, this study aimed to investigate post-burn infectious disease morbidity and assess if burn patients have increased long-term hospital use for infectious diseases. METHODS: A population-based longitudinal study using linked hospital morbidity and death data from Western Australia for all persons hospitalised for a first burn (n=30,997) in 1980-2012. A frequency matched non-injury comparison cohort was randomly selected from Western Australia's birth registrations and electoral roll (n=123,399). Direct standardisation was used to assess temporal trends in infectious disease admissions. Crude annual admission rates and length of stay for infectious diseases were calculated. Multivariate negative binomial and Cox proportional hazards regression modeling were used to generate adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRR) and hazard ratios (HR), respectively. RESULTS: After adjustment for demographic factors and pre-existing health status, the burn cohort had twice (IRR, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.04, 1.98-2.22) as many admissions and 3.5 times the number of days in hospital (IRR, 95%CI: 3.46, 3.05-3.92) than the uninjured cohort for infectious diseases. Higher rates of infectious disease admissions were found for severe (IRR, 95%CI: 2.37, 1.89-2.97) and minor burns (IRR, 95%CI: 2.22, 2.11-2.33). Burns were associated with significantly increased incident admissions: 0-30days (HR, 95%CI: 5.18, 4.15-6.48); 30days-1year (HR, 95%CI: 1.69, 1.53-1.87); 1-10 years (HR, 95%CI: 1.40:1.33-1.47); >10years (HR, 95%CI: 1.16, 1.08-1.24). Respiratory, skin and soft tissue and gastrointestinal infections were the most common. The burn cohort had a 1.75 (95%CI: 1.37-2.25) times greater rate of mortality caused by infectious diseases during the 5-year period after discharge than the uninjured cohort. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that burn has long-lasting effects on the immune system and its function. The increase in infectious disease in three different epithelial tissues in the burn cohort suggests there may be common underlying pathophysiology. Further research to understand the underlying mechanisms are required to inform clinical interventions to mitigate infectious disease after burn and improve patient outcomes.

Skin and soft-tissue infections: Factors associated with mortality and re-admissions.

INTRODUCTION: Skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs) are common and are linked to a wide variety of clinical conditions. Few studies have analysed the factors associated with mortality and re-admissions in medical patients with SSTIs. Accordingly, this study sought to describe the clinical and microbiological characteristics of patients diagnosed with SSTIs, and identify mortality and re-admission related factors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 308 patients were included in the study. Clinical, socio-demographic and microbiological characteristics were collected. Univariate and logistic regression multivariate analyses were performed in order to identify factors associated with mortality and re-admission. RESULTS: The bacteria responsible were identified in 95 (30.8%) patients, with gram-positive bacteria being isolated in 67.4% and gram-negative in 55.8% of cases. Multi-resistant bacteria were frequent (39%), and the initial empirical treatment proved inadequate in 25.3% of all cases. In-hospital mortality was 14.9%; the related variables were heart failure (OR=5.96; 95%CI: 1.93-18.47), chronic renal disease (OR=6.04; 95%CI: 1.80-20.22), necrotic infection (OR=4.33; 95%CI: 1.26-14.95), and inadequate empirical treatment (OR=44.74; 95%CI: 5.40-370.73). Six-month mortality was 8%, with the main related factors being chronic renal disease (OR: 3.03; 95%CI: 1.06-8.66), and a Barthel Index score of under 20 (OR: 3.62; 95%CI: 1.17-11.21). Re-admission was necessary in 26.3% of cases, with the readmission-related variables being male gender (OR: 2.12; 95%CI: 1.14-3.94), peripheral vascular disease (OR: 3.05; 95%CI: 1.25-7.41), and an age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index score of over 3 (OR: 3.27; 95%CI: 1.40-7.63). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical variables such as heart failure, chronic renal disease, peripheral vascular disease, and necrotic infection could help identify high-risk patients. The main factor associated with higher mortality was inadequate initial empirical treatment. Physicians should consider gram-negative, and even extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing bacteria when assigning initial empirical treatment for SSTIs, especially in healthcare-associated cases.

Trends in mortality from skin diseases in the United States: skin infectious diseases are claiming more lives.

BackgroundAlthough there has been some excellent work published on the mortality from non-neoplastic skin disease In the United States, further analysis of trends is limited.MethodsData from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for mortality abstracted from Death Certificates was obtained from the WONDER (wide-ranging online data for epidemiologic research) system from 1999 to 2014. Categorical variables were analyzed with Excel 2013 data analysis software using Chi-squared tests whereas regression was performed for trends.ResultsCrude death rates were highest in the South, especially in Mississippi and Louisiana. This work also confirmed that Blacks or African Americans had higher risk of death from skin disease, whereas Hispanic or Latinos had lower risk. Overall mortality from non-neoplastic diseases is increasing over time and significant increases in mortality from infectious and papulosquamous diseases were observed, whereas there appears to be decreasing mortality from dermatitis and miscellaneous skin disorders (ICD-10-CM L80-90).ConclusionsMortality is increasing from non-neoplastic diseases, especially infectious and papulosquamous diseases. Demographic factors such age race and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity also confer differential risk.

Predictive performance of quick Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment for mortality and ICU admission in patients with infection at the ED.

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study are to investigate the performance of the quick Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) in predicting mortality and intensive care unit (ICU) admission in patients with clinically diagnosed infection and to compare its performance with that of Mortality in Emergency Department Sepsis (MEDS), Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II, and Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA). METHODS: From July to December 2015, we retrospectively analyzed 477 patients clinically diagnosed with infection in the emergency department. We compared the performance of SOFA, MEDS, APACHE II, and qSOFA in predicting ICU admission and 28-day mortality. RESULTS: All scores were higher in nonsurvivors and ICU patients than in survivors and non-ICU patients (P< .001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of qSOFA was lower than that of MEDS (0.666 vs 0.751; P< .05) and similar to that of SOFA (0.729) and APACHE II (0.732) in predicting 28-day mortality. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of qSOFA, SOFA, MEDS, and APACHE II in predicting ICU admission were 0.636, 0.682, 0.661, and 0.640, respectively. There were no significant differences among the score systems. In patients with qSOFA scores less than 2 and greater than or equal to 2, 28-day mortality rates were 17.4% and 42.9% (P< .001), and ICU admission rates were 16.0% and 33.3% (P< .001). CONCLUSIONS: Quick SOFA predicted ICU admission with similar performance to that of SOFA, MEDS, and APACHE II. Its prognostic ability was similar to that of SOFA and APACHE II but slightly inferior to that of MEDS.

Necrotizing skin and soft tissue infections.

Necrotizing skin and soft tissue infections are severe bacterial infections resulting in rapid and life-threatening soft tissue destruction and necrosis along soft tissue planes.

Harlequin ichthyosis: a review of clinical and molecular findings in 45 cases.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical outcomes of 45 cases of harlequin ichthyosis and review the underlying ABCA12 gene mutations in these patients. DESIGN: Multicenter, retrospective, questionnaire-based survey. SETTING: Dermatology research institute. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with harlequin ichthyosis for whom we had performed ABCA12 mutation analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Referring physicians were asked to complete a questionnaire using the patients' notes, detailing the clinical outcome of the affected child. In each case, the causative ABCA12 mutation was identified using standard polymerase chain reaction and sequencing techniques. RESULTS: Of the 45 cases, the ages of the survivors ranged from 10 months to 25 years, with an overall survival rate of 56%. Death usually occurred in the first 3 months and was attributed to sepsis and/or respiratory failure in 75% of cases. The early introduction of oral retinoids may improve survival, since 83% of those treated survived, whereas 76% who were not given retinoids died. Recurrent skin infections in infancy affected one-third of patients. Problems maintaining weight affected 44%. Three children developed an inflammatory arthritis, and developmental delay was reported in 32%. Mutation analysis revealed that 52% of survivors had compound heterozygous mutations, whereas all deaths were associated with homozygous mutations. CONCLUSIONS: Harlequin ichthyosis should be regarded as a severe chronic disease that is not invariably fatal. With improved neonatal care and probably the early introduction of oral retinoids, the number of survivors is increasing. Compound heterozygotes appear to have a survival advantage.

Skin and soft tissue infections in hospitalized and critically ill patients: a nationwide population-based study.

BACKGROUND: The proportional distributions of various skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) with/without intensive care are unclear. Among SSTI patients, the prevalence and significance of complicating factors, such as comorbidities and infections other than skin/soft tissue (non-SST infections), remain poorly understood. We conducted this population-based study to characterize hospitalized SSTI patients with/without intensive care and to identify factors associated with patient outcome. METHODS: We analyzed first-episode SSTIs between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2007 from the hospitalized claims data of a nationally representative sample of 1,000,000 people, about 5% of the population, enrolled in the Taiwan National Health Insurance program. We classified 18 groups of SSTIs into three major categories: 1) superficial; 2) deeper or healthcare-associated; and 3) gangrenous or necrotizing infections. Multivariate logistic regression models were applied to identify factors associated with intensive care unit (ICU) admission and hospital mortality. RESULTS: Of 146,686 patients ever hospitalized during the 3-year study period, we identified 11,390 (7.7%) patients having 12,030 SSTIs. Among these SSTI patients, 1,033 (9.1%) had ICU admission and 306 (2.7%) died at hospital discharge. The most common categories of SSTIs in ICU and non-ICU patients were "deeper or healthcare-associated" (62%) and "superficial" (60%) infections, respectively. Of all SSTI patients, 45.3% had comorbidities and 31.3% had non-SST infections. In the multivariate analyses adjusting for demographics and hospital levels, the presence of several comorbid conditions was associated with ICU admission or hospital mortality, but the results were inconsistent across most common SSTIs. In the same analyses, the presence of non-SST infections was consistently associated with increased risk of ICU admission (adjusted odds ratios [OR] 3.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.91-3.83) and hospital mortality (adjusted OR 5.93, 95% CI 4.57-7.71). CONCLUSIONS: The proportional distributions of various SSTIs differed between ICU and non-ICU patients. Nearly one-third of hospitalized SSTI patients had non-SST infections, and the presence of which predicted ICU admission and hospital mortality.

Outcome of necrotizing skin and soft tissue infections.

BACKGROUND: Management of necrotizing skin and soft tissue infections (nSSTI) remains difficult, and the mortality rate has been high. We hypothesized that management of nSSTI by an emergency general surgery (EGS) service would improve outcomes. METHODS: Retrospective review of EGS patients with idiopathic nSSTI and comparison with historical controls. Demographic, co-morbidity, laboratory, and surgical data were collected. Non-parametric statistical analysis was used to evaluate differences between survivors and non-survivors. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors for the primary outcome measure of death. RESULTS: Fifty-two patients met the inclusion criteria, with five deaths (9.6%). The median time to the operating room (OR) was 8.6 h. The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score, serum lactic acid concentration, and intensive care unit length of stay were significantly different for non-survivors. The APACHE II score was an independent predictor of death when controlling for age and time to OR. CONCLUSIONS: An EGS service was associated with shorter time to OR, which may improve the outcome. Physiologic derangement, as estimated by the APACHE II score, is predictive of death from nSSTI.

Clinical and economic consequences of failure of initial antibiotic therapy for hospitalized patients with complicated skin and skin-structure infections.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the consequences of failure of initial antibiotic therapy for patients with complicated skin and skin-structure infections. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Large US multihospital database. PATIENTS: We identified a total of 47,219 patients (age 18 years or older) who were admitted to the hospital for complicated skin and skin-structure infections from April 1, 2003, through March 31, 2004, and who received intravenous antibiotics during the first 2 hospital-days (ie, initial antibiotic therapy). Failure of therapy was defined as drainage, debridement, or receipt of other intravenous antibiotics at any subsequent time (except for changes to narrower-spectrum agents or any therapy change immediately before discharge). Predictors of failure of antibiotic therapy and mortality were examined using multivariate logistic regression. Analysis of covariance was used to estimate the impact of treatment failure on duration of intravenous antibiotic therapy, length of stay, and total inpatient charges. RESULTS: For 10,782 admitted patients (22.8%), there was evidence of failure of initial antibiotic therapy. In multivariate analyses, treatment failure was associated with receipt of vasoactive medications during the first 2 hospital-days (odds ratio [OR], 1.66 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.19-2.31]), initiation of antibiotic therapy in the intensive care unit (OR, 1.53 [95% CI, 1.28-1.84]), and the patient's Charlson comorbidity index (OR per 1-point increase, 1.06 [95% CI, 1.04-1.08]); treatment failure was also was associated with a 3-fold increase in mortality (OR, 2.91 [95% CI, 2.34-3.62]). Compared with patients for whom initial treatment was successful, patients who experienced treatment failure received intravenous antibiotic therapy for a mean of 5.7 additional days, were hospitalized for a mean of 5.4 additional days, and incurred a mean of $5,285 (in 2003 dollars) in additional inpatient charges (all P<.01). CONCLUSION: Failure of initial antibiotic therapy in the treatment of complicated skin and skin-structure infections is associated with significantly worse clinical and economic outcomes.

Mionecrosis rápidamente progresiva por Aeromonas veronii biotipo sobria / Rapidly progressive myonecrosis by aeromonas veronii biotype sobria

La mionecrosis por Aeromonas spp es excepcional. Describimos un caso de mionecrosis rápidamente progresiva por Aeromonas veronii biotipo sobria en un enfermo diabético con cirrosis hepática, cuya puerta de entrada fue un traumatismo al caer a un canal de riego. La evolución fue desfavorable y fue necesaria la amputación quirúrgica de la extremidad inferior izquierda a pesar del tratamiento antibiótico con cefotaxima y tobramicina. Aeromonas spp es un microorganismo que puede resultar muy agresivo y debe ser tenido en cuenta en el diagnóstico diferencial de las infecciones de piel y partes blandas que cursen con mionecrosis, especialmente en infecciones de heridas secundarias a traumatismos en contacto con agua

Myonecrosis due to Aeromonas spp is exceptional. We report the case of a diabetic patient with liver cirrhosis who developed a rapidly progressive myonecrosis by Aeromonas veronii biotype sobria. The portal of entry was an injury after falling down in an irrigation canal. The outcome was not favourable and surgical amputation of left leg was performed in spite of antibiotic treatment with cefotaxime and tobramicin. Aeromonas spp can be very aggressive and this microorganism should be considered in the differential diagnosis of skin and soft tissue infections with myonecrosis, specially after posttraumatic wound infections with a history of freshwater exposure

Neonatal morbidity and mortality in a Tanzanian tertiary care referral hospital.

In developing countries, neonatal mortality accounts for 50-70% of infant mortality. The purpose of this study was to describe morbidity and mortality patterns, with a focus on neonatal infections, in a Tanzanian special care baby unit (SCBU). During a 3-month period, 246 consecutive admissions to the SCBU at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre were audited. Prematurity, low birthweight and suspected infection accounted for 61% of all admissions. The overall mortality rate was 19%, but varied considerably according to gestational age, birthweight and diagnosis. Thirty-one neonates (two-thirds of all deaths) died during the 1st 24 hours of life. Of 27 infants admitted on grounds of perinatal asphyxia, 11 (41%) died, and, of 19 infants with a gestational age <31 weeks, 13 (68%) died. More than two-thirds of all infants were treated with antibiotics. Septicaemia confirmed by blood culture was found in 16 cases. The susceptibility pattern of bacterial isolates did not indicate high rates of resistance to commonly used antibacterial agents. A reduction in the number of preterm deliveries and improved perinatal care to avoid and treat perinatal asphyxia would be the two most important measures in reducing neonatal mortality in this setting.

Impact of therapy With chlorambucil, fludarabine, or fludarabine plus chlorambucil on infections in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia: Intergroup Study Cancer and Leukemia Group B 9011.

PURPOSE: We sought to determine whether therapy with single-agent fludarabine compared with chlorambucil alone or the combination of both agents had an impact on the incidence and spectrum of infections among a series of previously untreated patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Five hundred fifty-four previously untreated CLL patients with intermediate/high-risk Rai-stage disease were enrolled onto an intergroup protocol. Patients were randomized to therapy with chlorambucil, fludarabine, or fludarabine plus chlorambucil. Data pertaining to infection were available on 518 patients. Differences in infections among treatment arms were tested with the Kruskal-Wallis, Wilcoxon, and chi(2) tests. RESULTS: A total of 1,107 infections (241 major infections) occurred in 518 patients over the infection follow-up period (interval from study entry until either reinstitution of initial therapy, therapy with a second agent, or death). Patients treated with fludarabine plus chlorambucil had more infections than those receiving either single agent (P <.0001). Comparing the two single-agent arms, there were more infections on the fludarabine arm (P =.055) per month of follow-up. Fludarabine therapy was associated with more major infections and more herpesvirus infections compared with chlorambucil (P =.008 and P =.004, respectively). Rai stage and best response to therapy were not associated with infection. A low serum immunoglobulin G was associated with number of infections (P =.02). Age was associated with incidence of major infection in the combination arm (P =.004). CONCLUSION: Combination therapy with fludarabine plus chlorambucil resulted in significantly more infections than treatment with either single agent. Patients receiving single-agent fludarabine had more major infections and herpesvirus infections compared with chlorambucil-treated patients.

The epidemiology of bovine dermatophilosis in Zambia.

Bovine dermatophilosis (Senkobo disease) has been reported annually in Zambia for many years. However, its epidemiology under Zambian conditions had never been adequately studied. Officially the disease has never been recognized as being of any economic consequence. A field study was designed and conducted from August to December 1986, to provide estimates of epidemiological statistics and other factors for the period January 1985 to December 1986 in four districts. These districts supported approximately 28% of the national cattle herd. The study was conducted in communally grazed herds as the disease was reportedly of little significance in commercial herds. A total of 365 herds containing 22,344 head of cattle were inspected and the owners interviewed; 286 herds (78.4%) and 1114 cattle (5.0%) were found to be affected. Rainy weather, vegetation type such as grass savannah, woodland savannah and thorny bush, ticks and biting flies were indicated as important factors in the appearance and course of dermatophilosis in Zambia.

Anthrax in children: a long forgotten, potentially fatal infection.

After a brief account of anthrax morbidity in northern Greece in recent years, 4 cases in 1977 of cutaneous anthrax in 10 to 13-year-old children are presented. Two had an atypical cutaneous lesion. In 1 of these, a 13-year-old girl, the disease was complicated by severe, eventually fatal meningitis. Death ensued despite intensive treatment with high doses of penicillin and hydrocortisone. This case is the first report of anthrax meningitis in a child in Greece and the third reported in the last 15 years. We stress the diagnostic difficulties in atypical cases of cutaneous anthrax and the need for early diagnosis and treatment to avoid spread of infection and appearance of complications such as the usually fatal meningitis.