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Lesion of the skin of the eyelids with anthrax: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Anthrax is an acute infectious disease, zoonotic caused by an anthrax wand that occurs with skin, lymph nodes and internal organs. The skin form of anthrax in most cases is manifested with the formation of a specific carbuncle.
In the skin of the eyelids, the causative agent penetrates through the damaged skin. In place of the entrance gate infection gradually develop a spot, papule, vesicle, ulcer.
The spot is reddish-bluish, painless, resembles traces of an insect bite. A few hours later, the spot turns into a copper-red papule. Local itching and a burning sensation increase. After 12-24 h, the papule becomes a vial filled with serous fluid, which darkens and becomes bloody. When combing or spontaneously the vesicle bursts, its walls fall off. An ulcer is formed with a different hemorrhagic separable dark brown color. Due to necrosis, the central part of the ulcer turns into a black, painless, dense scab 1-2 weeks later. In appearance, the scab is like coal on a red background. In general, the defeat was called carbuncle. Occurring on the periphery of the carbuncle, swelling of the tissues sometimes seizes large areas of loose subcutaneous tissue, for example, the face is jelly-like edema. The localization of the carbuncle on the face and especially on the eyelids is very dangerous, since swelling can spread to the upper respiratory tract and lead to asphyxia and death.
Siberian carbuncle in the zone of necrosis is painless, which serves as an important differential diagnostic feature. Developing lymphadenitis is also painless. The severe course of the cutaneous form can be complicated by the development of anthrax sepsis and has an unfavorable outcome. Diagnosis is carried out according to laboratory data. The material for laboratory testing for cutaneous forms of anthrax is the contents of vesicles and carbuncles. Treatment is done with antibiotics in combination with anti-STI immunoglobulin. Skin manifestations on the eyelids do not require local treatment, surgical interventions can lead to generalization of the process.
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