In most cases, early treatment can cure anthrax. The cutaneous (skin) form of anthrax can be treated with common antibiotics such as penicillin, tetracycline, erythromycin (Ilotycin, Ery-Ped, Ery-Tab), and ciprofloxacin (Cipro). The pulmonary form of anthrax is a medical emergency. Early and continuous intravenous therapy with antibiotics may be lifesaving. In a bioterrorism attack, individuals exposed to anthrax will be given antibiotics before they become sick. A vaccine exists but is not yet available to the general public. Most experts think that the vaccine will also be given to exposed individuals who are victims of a bioterrorist attack. Of note, anthrax is a reportable disease. That means that local or state health agencies must be notified if a case of anthrax is diagnosed. These agencies can better characterize the anthrax so that the affected individual can receive the most effective treatment for that particular organism.

    Individuals exposed to aerosolized spores (bioterrorism scares or attacks, for example) can participate in postexposure prevention of anthrax. Four antibiotics are recommended by the FDA: doxycycline (Doryx, Oracea, Monodox), ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin (Levaquin, Quixin, Iquix), and parenteral procaine penicillin G. In addition to these antibiotics, a three-dose series of anthrax vaccine should be started as soon as possible after exposure.