Replies

I see from your bio that you are a veterinarian. The level of ignorance in medical people is most distressing. Especially in times like these, you have a duty to yourself, your profession, the general public, and your country to improve your level of knowledge. Until you do so, you should not spread false notions.

The anthax outbreak you mentioned could NOT have been inhalation anthrax. It must have been caused by contact with the skin. How do I know? Because you said that the people recovered. No one recovers from inhaled anthrax once symptoms appear.

Cipro is known to be effective against inhaled anthrax, but ONLY if given before symptoms appear. That is to say, before the bacteria cause the deadly toxins to form. In other words, you have to start treatment based on known or even suspected exposure, not based on the development of symptoms.

It is the toxins produced by the anthrax, and not the anthrax illness itself, which is fatal and untreatable. Yes, you can give antibiotics after symptoms occur and kill the bacteria, but you won't lay a glove on the toxins, and the patient will die.

As to why Cipro is better than penicillin for inhalation anthrax, I cannot say exactly other than that Cipro is more potent, provides more coverage for more germs, and in this case you don't have time to try out the more garden variety antibiotics and "move up" to more powerful ones as indicated, which you might do with a less deadly and slower moving disease.
.
Again, please study more on this subject. Do not rely on what you were taught in med/vet school or CME, your personal experience, or what the government including CDC is putting out. All three are unreliable sources upon which to draw in these unprecedented times.

I reject your post #183 along with your snide personal attack. Unless you are familiar with USAMRIID, Peters, Tigrett, and Patrick, you haven't a clue with what you are talking about. My post had to do with cows in case you cannot read. The Factor I, II, and III componets of anthrax are well known by those of us who study the disease. Your statements of why Cipro was chosen exposes your ignorance of why Cipro was chosen as the antibiotic of choice for anthrax and basic medicine, basic pharmacology, and microbiology. Your last statement is ludicrous and sums up the total of your breadth and experience.

I spread no false notions and my statement to anyone of minimal knowledge of the disease is correct. I also noticed that your bio is nonexistant which correlates well with your knowledge of the disease.