[Anthrax]

Abstract

Having dwelled on the etiopathogenetic, pathologic, and clinical features of human infections caused by B. anthracis, the authors review and analyze epidemiological data of the cases of anthrax registered in Italy during the last ten years. Actual possibilities for prevention are evaluated in view of the fact that enzootic foci still exist in our country which are clearly responsible for the typically occupational occurrence of this type of infection in certain at-risk categories (farmers, husbandmen, butchers, veterinarians, but also workers in those branches of industry which use materials of animal origin, such as wool, leather, bristles, fur, etc.).