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Anthrax
Acme
Labs Produces Cipro-A
Information Regarding
Dosage and Administration of Ciprofloxacin and other
drugs in the Treatment of Anthrax.
Ciprofloxacin is approved by FDA for the
Treatment of Anthrax
Dosage and Administration:
The drug should be administered for a total of 60
days.
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Adult |
Children |
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500 mg twice daily orally
400 mg twice daily intravenously |
15 mg/kg twice daily orally
10 mg/kg twice daily intravenously
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Because of concerns about long-term safety, including effects on
cartilage, until now, Ciprofloxacin was not approved for any indication in the
paediatric
population. However, because inhalation anthrax is lethal, the risk benefit assessment indicates that use of Ciprofloxacin for this indication in paediatric patients is appropriate.
Reference: FDA Talk Paper, Food and Drug Administration, US Department
of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, August 31 2000.
Other Drugs Used:
Typical treatment methods for Anthrax : The Center for Disease
Control of America issued a release where they stated that Ciprofloxacin is no
longer a preferred drug, rather they decided that Doxycycline is better to treat Anthrax.
Cecil Text book of Medicine states that Penicillin G is the drug
of choice for the treatment of Anthrax. In coetaneous anthrax the usual dose is 4 million units
Penicillin G every 6 hours for several days intravenously followed by a 7-10 days course of oral penicillin G.
For patients who are allergic to Penicillin, effective
alternative includes Ciprofloxacin, Tetracycline, Streptomycin, Erythromycin and
Chloramphenicol.
In inhalation, gastrointestinal, or oropharyngeal anthrax or in anthrax meningitis the high dosage of intravenous Penicillin-G in the range of
24 million units /day, or Ciprofloxacin 500 mg every 8 to12 hours are
recommended. Some suggest that Ciprofloxacin should be selected as the
initial drug of choice for inhalation anthrax until susceptibility test results
are available.
Reference: Cecil Text Book of Medicine, 21st edition, Vol2, 2000, page 1706.
New York City Department of Health Bureau of Communicable Disease has published the following guideline for the use of Doxycycline in the
treatment and prophylaxis of Anthrax.
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Treatment |
Prophylaxis |
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Adult
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Doxycycline 200 mg IV once daily, then 100 mg IV four
times daily (if tetracycline susceptible) |
Doxycycline 100 mg twice daily (if tetracycline
susceptible) |
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Over 100 pounds of body weight: 100 mg every 8 hours for 60 days.
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Children
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Doxycycline (if ciprofloxacin is not available) 4
mg/kg/day IV in 2 divided doses |
Doxycycline 5 mg/kg/day in 2 divided doses |
Professional Resources Network LLC and Medical Corps LLC states
the following dose of Tetracycline in Anthrax: For patients 8 years and above
500 mg Tetracycline every four hours for 60 days is recommended.
Ref. New York City Department of Health Bureau of Communicable Disease; Professional Resources Network LLC and Medical Corps LLC.
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