Medication
Procedures
Nutrition
What is the preferred treatment for anthrax?
Antibiotics. All types of anthrax infection can be treated with antibiotics, including intravenous antibiotics (medicine given through the vein). If someone has symptoms of anthrax, it's important to get medical care as quickly as possible to have the best chances of a full recovery.
What should I do after anthrax exposure?
If you think you may have been exposed to anthrax, you need to go to a doctor right away and explain why you think you may have been exposed. Doctors can prescribe antibiotics to prevent you from getting sick. There is no test a doctor can give you that determines if you have been exposed to anthrax.
Which drug class is preferred for treating patients exposed to anthrax?
The standard treatment for anthrax is an antibiotic such as ciprofloxacin (Cipro), doxycycline (Vibramycin) or levofloxacin.
What is first-line treatment for anthrax?
Cutaneous Anthrax Treatment Protocol* †—Ciprofloxacin or doxycycline should be considered first-line therapy. Amoxicillin, 500 mg orally three times daily or 80 mg per kg per day divided every eight hours for children, is an option for completion of therapy after clinical improvement.
Is Penicillin a cure for anthrax?
Cases of gastrointestinal and cutaneous anthrax can be treated with ciprofloxacin or doxycycline for 60 days. Penicillin such as amoxicillin or amoxicillin-clavulanate may be used to complete the course if the strain is susceptible.
What antibiotic kills anthrax?
anthracis: doxycycline, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and parenteral procaine penicillin G. Levofloxacin was approved for PEP for anthrax in 2004 for adults and in 2008 for children (FDA, 2004, 2008a).
Why is ciprofloxacin used for anthrax?
During an anthrax emergency, you will be given a medicine called ciprofloxacin (sip-roe-FLOX-a-sin) because you may have breathed in anthrax germs. These germs can be deadly. Taking this medicine reduces your chance of getting sick and dying.
What is recommended after exposure to Bacillus anthracis is suspected or proven?
Ciprofloxacin and doxycycline are the first-line antimicrobials recommended for PEP by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Amoxicillin is also an option for individuals exposed to B. anthracis strains known to be susceptible to penicillin.