Case report: intestinal anthrax in a 4-year old boy

Anthrax is a highly dangerous disease that results in death in the absence of prompt diagnosis and treatment. Intestinal form of this disease is rare but fatal. This report presents a 4-year old boy with abdominal pain, vomiting, distension and poor general condition. He was taken to the operating theatre with the diagnosis of peritonitis; right hemicolectomy was performed because of ileo-cecal invagination and perforation. Four hours later the patient died of septic shock. His laboratory studies revealed the diagnosis of anthrax. We have discussed the epidemiological aspects of the disease and emphasized the importance of immediate diagnosis and treatment