Inhalation anthrax is often fatal. The intestinal disease form of anthrax may follow the consumption of contaminated food and is characterized by an acute inflammation of the intestinal tract. Initial signs of nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, and fever are followed by abdominal pain, vomiting of blood, and severe diarrhea. Therefore, there is no need to immunize or treat contacts of persons ill with anthrax, such as household contacts, friends, or coworkers, unless they also were also exposed to the same source of infection. In persons exposed to anthrax, infection can be prevented with antibiotic treatment.
Anthrax usually is susceptible to penicillin, doxycycline, and fluoroquinolones.
An anthrax vaccine also can prevent infection. Vaccination against anthrax is not recommended for the general public to prevent disease and is not available. Center for Disease Control Anthrax, whether the inhaled or skin variety, is caused by spores of Bacillus anthracis, primarily a livestock disease. On the skin, the ailment starts after three to five days with a nondescript, painless blister that is red around the edges. A day or two later, this becomes an open sore that is especially recognizable because it is black.