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Previous Volume 346:943-945 March 21, 2002 Number 12 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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To the Editor: In his timely review of anthrax, Swartz (Nov. 29 issue)¹ states that "incision or débridement of such early [cutaneous] lesions should be avoided, since this may increase the possibility of bacteremia." We believe that this prohibition does not apply to diagnostic skin biopsies.

Eight of 12 patients in whom cutaneous anthrax has been diagnosed since early October have undergone biopsies of their skin lesions. Immunohistochemical staining for the capsule and cell-wall antigen of Bacillus anthracis was positive in each case and provided essential diagnostic information.^2,3,4,5 All other serologic studies or skin tests were less sensitive. For example, . . . [Full Text of this Article]

References

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Weber, D. J., Sickbert-Bennett, E., Gergen, M. F., Rutala, W. A. (2003). Efficacy of Selected Hand Hygiene Agents Used to Remove Bacillus atrophaeus (a Surrogate of Bacillus anthracis) From Contaminated Hands. JAMA 289: 1274-1277 [Abstract] [Full Text]