What are the symptoms of anthrax?
* Skin (cutaneous) – This is the most common form of anthrax. Infection requires a break in the skin. The first symptoms include itching where the skin has been exposed. Then, a large boil or sore appears. The sore becomes covered by a black scab. If not treated, the infection can spread to the lymph nodes and bloodstream.
* Inhalation – Inhalation anthrax has been very rare in the U.S. First symptoms include fever, fatigue, malaise and a cough or chest pain. High fever, rapid pulse and severe difficulty breathing follow in two to five days. Inhalation anthrax is often fatal.
* Gastrointestinal – This form occurs only after eating infected, undercooked meat. First symptoms include fever; abdominal pain; loose, watery bowel movements; and vomiting with blood.

How soon after exposure do symptoms develop?
Symptoms usually develop between one and seven days after exposure but prolonged periods up to 12 days for cutaneous (skin) anthrax and 60 days for inhalation anthrax are possible, though rare.

Can anthrax be spread person to person?
Breathing in (lung) anthrax isn’t spread from one-on-one. Even if you develop symptoms of inhalation anthrax, you are not contagious to other persons. If you develop cutaneous (skin) anthrax, the drainage from an open sore presents a low risk of infection to others. The only way cutaneous (skin) anthrax can be transmitted is by direct contact with the drainage from an open sore. Anthrax is not spread from person to person by casual contact, sharing office space or by coughing and sneezing.

How is it diagnosed?
Bacillus anthracis is diagnosed when the anthrax bacterium is found in the blood, skin lesions or respiratory secretions by a laboratory culture. It can also be diagnosed by measuring specific antibodies in the blood of infected persons. Nasal swabs are not a good way to diagnose anthrax because a swab cannot definitively determine if someone has not been exposed to anthrax.

What is the treatment for illness caused by anthrax?
There are many antibiotic drug* that are applied successfully to treat anthrax. Treatment is highly effective in cases of cutaneous (skin) anthrax and is effective in inhalation and gastrointestinal anthrax if begun early in the course of infection. The United States of America has a large supply of these antibiotics and can quickly manufacture more if needed.

Is there a way to prevent infection?
Persons known to be exposed to confirmed anthrax spores will be given antibiotics, usually ciprofloxacin (cipro) or doxycycline, to prevent infection.
Do I need to disinfect myself or my belongings if I believe I was exposed to anthrax?

Most threats regarding anthrax have proven to be hoaxes. However, in the event of a possible exposure to a powder or other unknown substance with a threat that may indicate anthrax, call 911 and leave the material alone. To prevent infection if you have a skin exposure to the powder or other substance, wash your hands vigorously with soap and water, and shower with soap and water if necessary. Similarly, washing possibly contaminated clothes in the regular laundry will safely remove any possible anthrax. To be inhaled, anthrax spores must first be aerosolized (dispersed in the air) which doesn’t commonly occur. In the unlikely event that you do inhale spores, medical evaluation and treatment is needed, usually after spores are identified.