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Sibireasal laryngitis: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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Along with the main forms of anthrax (cutaneous, pulmonary and intestinal), this disease can initially manifest itself as damage to the upper respiratory tract, including the pharynx and larynx.
Anthrax is an acute infectious disease, related to especially dangerous infections, characterized by a severe course, damage mainly to the skin (hence its second name - malignant carbuncle) and the lymphatic system. It is widespread in all countries of the world among animals and people. The causative agent of the disease is B. anthracis - a large gram-positive non-motile rod. In a living organism it exists in a vegetative form, in the environment it forms extremely resistant spores. In an autoclave at 110 ° C, spores die after 40 minutes, when boiled - after 10-15 minutes. Vegetative forms are unstable, sensitive to penicillin, tetracycline antibiotics, etc. After the disease, persistent immunity usually develops. Immunity of people to anthrax is ensured by their active immunization with the anthrax vaccine STI.
The clinical picture of anthrax laryngitis is dominated by a general septic state and pronounced edema of the mucous membrane of the pharynx and larynx. The diagnosis is based on bacteriological examination, if, of course, this disease is suspected in persons who, due to the nature of their work, are in contact with animals and their corpses, especially in endemic foci of the disease. Laryngeal lesions are accompanied by signs of severe phlegmonous laryngitis.
Treatment of laryngitis due to anthrax is carried out in infectious hospitals in wards (departments) for patients with especially dangerous infections. Anti-anthrax gamma globulin (according to Bezredka) is administered intramuscularly once. In the case of the cutaneous form, antibiotics are prescribed (tetracycline, penicillin, macrolides and azolides), in the case of the septic form, in addition, prednisolone, blood-substituting fluids, etc. are administered intravenously. In case of anthrax laryngitis, there is often a need for urgent tracheotomy.
In the cutaneous form, the prognosis is usually favorable, in the septic form it is questionable, and in the pulmonary and intestinal forms it is very serious.
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