Table 1.
Characteristics of eight cutaneous anthrax cases associated with an imported sick cow in Jiangsu Province, eastern China, July–August 2012
| Characteristics | Patient 1 | Patient 2 | Patient 3 | Patient 4 | Patient 5 | Patient 6 | Patient 7 | Patient 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General information | ||||||||
| Age (years) | 48 | 23 | 28 | 21 | 26 | 43 | 27 | 59 |
| Sex | M | M | M | M | M | F | F | M |
| Occupation | Butcher | Butcher | Butcher | Butcher | Butcher | Housewife | Housewife | Farmer |
| Date of illness onset | 26 July | 26 July | 30 July | 27 July | 29 July | 2 August | 26 July | 27 July |
| Epidemiologically linked to a sick cow or its products | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Incubation period (days) | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 2 |
| Type of case | Confirmed | Confirmed | Confirmed | Confirmed | Confirmed | Probable | Probable | Probable |
| Clinical features | ||||||||
| Fever | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| Skin lesion such as ulcers, papules, erythema, vesicles, or central black eschars | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Location of skin lesions | Back of hand and little finger | Face, arm and leg | Hand | Foot | Arm and leg | Thigh | Finger | Calf |
| Number of skin lesions | 3 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Isolation in hospital | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Survived | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Laboratory testing | ||||||||
| Real-time RT–PCR | Positive | Positive | Positive | Positive | Negative | n.t. | n.t. | n.t. |
| Anti-protective antigen IgG* | Negative | Negative | Positive | Negative | Positive | Negative | Negative | n.t. |
n.t., Not tested.
* All seven serum specimens were collected on 9 August 2012.