Problem of timely diagnosis in anthrax meningitis.

Anthrax continues to remain a problem in parts of India. Meningitis is often a complication encountered among cases with cutaneous anthrax. We have encountered a dozen cases of anthrax meningitis in our hosptal in the past decade. A sudden unexplained rise in cases in the past two years with hundred percent mortality stresses the need for rapid confirmatory diagnosis. Most of the cases admitted with central nervous system involvement had a provisional diagnosis of conditions other than anthrax meningitis. A strong clinical suspicion with a simple Gram stain smear of the CSF will help confirm anthrax meningitis in endemic areas.