Faisal Mansoor.
Nosocomial bacillus anthracis infection.
Pak J Med Res Jan ;42(3):143-5.

A 14-years old boy was admitted in the Urology ward of al Kharj Military Base Hospital on 3 March 1996 with varicocele. He had no other signs or symptoms. His chest x-ray, blood and urine reports were normal. Al Kharj is known for its farms and livestock and this boy came from this background. His general hygiene was poor. He was made to bath twice before going for surgery the following day (4 March 1996). The surgery was uneventful. There were 5 more surgeries performed on the dame day, in the same theatre, by the same surgical team, on the same table. On the 2nd post-operative day, he started having fever with rigors. The wound was immediately examined and abscess formation was noticed. The stitches were removed and a very foul smelling grayish green pus was seen. Laboratory personnel were immediately invited to take sample for culture and sensitivity. A report was received on 7 March, 1996 showing Bacillus anthracis. No serological testing was done. The patient was put on gentamicin and amplcillin. The response was good. Fever settled in 24 hrs. and the healing of the wound was uneventful. Twice again the wound swabs were tested on the 4th and 5th post-operative days and found negative. All other patients operated on the same day had an uneventful recovery.

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