question for Lesley

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Lesley, I know cipro and doxyclycline are the drugs of choice for Anthrax. However, I am leary of ordering anything on-line using my credit card, especially something from over seas. I read in the 14th edition of the Merck manual that PCN G IV was used for Anthrax (wool sorters disease), How good do you think PNC g given IM would be? I, as well as most country people with animals know where they can get penicillin injectible. Being an LPN, I could administer it IV if I had the supplies to do so but I don't, so I'm thinking maybe IM might be the next choice. What do you think? Mind me now, I'm not making any recommendations, just thinking!!!!

-- Barb (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), October 08, 2001

Answers

According to everything which I have read about prevention of anthrax by inhalation, only two medications PREVENT a person from getting the disease and those are Cipro and doxycycline. Once a person actually has been exposed to the disease, treatment would consist of many different IV antibiotics, including penicillin if the cultures showed that strain as being sensistive to the drug. The problem with IM injections is that #1 it does zero to prevent anthrax#2, the doses required to treat anthrax cannot be given by mouth or by injection, just by IV.#3 there are several strains of anthrax..Cipro prevents a person getting any strain and doxycycline prevents a person from getting all strains but one. It is hard to understand for lots of folks how a drug can be used to treat a disease but not prevent it in the first place..the secret lies in the dose needed to either prevent or to treat. ALL of the medical literature points specificaly to these two drugs to be taken orally to prevent inhalation anthrax. If penicillin worked to prevent anthrax, the government would have zero problem giving it out to everybody right now. Penicillin is cheap and readily manufactured by several drug companies. It would be a piece of cake to distribute it. IV penicillin is the first drug used IV to treat persons known to have been exposed to inhalation anthrax (actually have the bacteria in their bodies) along with IV tetracycline, IV Cipro and a myriad of others.

-- lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), October 08, 2001.

Thanks Lesley. I understand the difference between the doses needed to prevent and treat anthrax. I was thinking about something to treat it with in the event for some reason one could not get to a dr. or hospital. I realize the pulmonary type is extremely difficult to treat. I think I will get some penicillin to have on hand just in case and hope that if, God forbid, we have an outbreak of anthrax, it will not be the pcn resistant type. I have on hand tetracycline and pcn pills which I would take in the event of an outbreak for a preventative. I will ask my dr. for a RX for doxyclycine but I have my serious doubts she will give me one.

-- Barb (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), October 09, 2001.

I would hope that your physician would honor your request..why not? All of my friends who happen to be in the medical profession are giving out prescriptions upon request. There is nothing illegal or unethical about it. Docs are supposed to treat the entire patient which includes preventative measures. It is not the least bit unreasonable to request that your family physician assist you in protecting you and your family from a bioterrorist attack possibility. The only reason I order online is the cost. God bless.

-- lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), October 09, 2001.

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