Oropharyngeal anthrax

The first bacteriologically confirmed case of oropharyngeal anthrax is described. A 59-year-old male patient presented with sore throat and extensive swelling of the neck and anterior chest wall five hours after the ingestion of uncooked water buffalo meat. Marked inflammation of the oropharynx and a small necrotic area in the left tonsil were found. Culture taken from this area grew Bacillus anthracis. In anthrax-susceptible areas, this acute illness should be added to the differential diagnoses of inflammatory lesion of the oropharynx with extensive neck swelling.