American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Certification Practice Exam

What should be done with uncomplicated cutaneous anthrax cases?

1. Immediate hospitalization

2. Report to local health authorities

3. Only outpatient treatment

4. Use of intravenous antibiotics

The correct answer is: Report to local health authorities

For uncomplicated cutaneous anthrax cases, the correct course of action is to report to local health authorities. This is crucial because anthrax, being a reportable infectious disease, requires notification to public health officials to monitor and prevent potential outbreaks. Timely reporting facilitates public health responses that are necessary for disease surveillance and control. While hospitalization may be warranted in severe cases, uncomplicated cutaneous anthrax typically does not require immediate hospitalization, nor is it treated with intravenous antibiotics in those cases. Outpatient treatment with appropriate oral antibiotics is effective for uncomplicated cutaneous anthrax. Therefore, notifying health authorities ensures that proper public health measures can be taken, which is essential for managing anthrax cases in the community effectively.