[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

God rest his soul.

If he"responded to penicillin" why is he dead.

Past reports have shown he sought medical attention as soon as he did not feel well.If penicillin was an answer why is he dead?

What am I missing...the article 'vaguely leads' that he did not get treatment in time all past reports vaguely led on that he did.

[BabylonXXX]

Past reports have shown he sought medical attention as soon as he did not feel well.If penicillin was an answer why is he dead?

You don't die from the bacteria itself. You die from a certain toxin it produces.

By the time you get symptoms, the amount of toxin in your body has teached lethal levels. At that point, you can kill every bacteria in your body and you will still die.

[tbeatty]

They misdiagnosed it. I didn't think penicillin did squat for this and there is a special Anthrax antibiotic. My guess is that this disease is more common than people think but since it is still rare and often misdiagnosed, we don't hear about it. They go "lucky" in diagnosing this one since a lab tech had just finished CDC training on bio-terror weapons and recognized the Anthrax stuff.

Once the bacteria get to the lymph nodes, it's difficult (impossible?) to stop death. Also, keep in mind that this person was 63. My guess is that it looked like his lungs were clearing while the bug made it's way to the lymphatic system so thry tagged him as "responding."

[TX Bluebonnet]

I think I've heard that as soon as symptoms show up, its too late. Therefore, you would already have to be on antibiotics at the time you come in contaact with the anthrax bacteria. Am I right? Anyone...anyone...

[HENRYADAMS]

The form that attacks the lungs is usually fatal. See Merck Manual article on anthrax.