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Treatments and drugs

By Mayo Clinic staff

The standard treatment for anthrax is a 60-day course of an antibiotic, such as ciprofloxacin or doxycycline. Which single antibiotic or combination of antibiotics will be most effective for you depends on the type of anthrax you have, your age, overall health and other factors. Treatment is most effective when started as soon as possible.

Although some cases of anthrax respond to antibiotics, advanced inhalation anthrax may not. By the later stages of the disease, the bacteria have often produced more toxins than drugs can eliminate.

Prevention Tests and diagnosis
References
  1. Anthrax. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/anthrax/. Accessed April 30, 2011.
  2. Anthrax. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/sec14/ch172/ch172b.html. Accessed April 30, 2011.
  3. Wilson K. Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of anthrax. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 30, 2011.
  4. Wilson K. Microbiology, pathogenesis, and epidemiology of anthrax. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 30, 2011.
  5. Anthrax vaccine: What you need to know. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-anthrax.pdf. Accessed April 30, 2011.
  6. Wilson K. Treatment of anthrax. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 30, 2011.
  7. Ferri FF. Anthrax. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2011: Instant Diagnosis and Treatment. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..C2009-0-38600-6--TOP&isbn=978-0-323-05610-6&about=true&uniqId=230100505-53. Accessed April 30, 2011.
  8. Wilson K. Prevention of anthrax. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 30, 2011.
DS00422 June 9, 2011

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