BioThrax

Generic name: Anthrax Vaccine
Drug class: Bacterial vaccines

Usage of BioThrax

BioThrax vaccine is used to help prevent anthrax in adults with a high risk of exposure to the anthrax bacteria in certain work settings, while traveling, or during military service. This vaccine works by exposing you to an antigen protein that causes your body to develop immunity to the disease. BioThrax vaccine does not contain live or killed forms of the bacteria that causes anthrax.

BioThrax will not treat an active infection that has already developed in the body.

Like any vaccine, BioThrax may not provide protection from disease in every person.

BioThrax side effects

You should not receive a booster vaccine if you had a life-threatening allergic reaction after the first shot.

Keep track of any and all side effects you have after receiving BioThrax vaccine. When you receive a booster dose, you will need to tell the doctor if the previous shot caused any side effects.

Becoming infected with anthrax is much more dangerous to your health than receiving this vaccine. However, like any medicine, BioThrax vaccine can cause side effects but the risk of serious side effects is extremely low.

Get emergency medical help if you have any signs of an allergic reaction to BioThrax: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;

fever, chills, body aches, nausea, flu symptoms; or

severe swelling or a hard lump where the shot was given.

Common BioThrax side effects include:

mild redness, swelling, or tenderness where the shot was given;

trouble moving the injected arm;

muscle pain;

tired feeling; or

headache.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report vaccine side effects to the US Department of Health and Human Services at 1 800 822 7967.

Before taking BioThrax

You should not receive BioThrax vaccine if you have ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to an anthrax vaccine.

To make sure BioThrax is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

an allergy to latex, aluminum hydroxide, benzothonium chloride, or formaldehyde;

a weak immune system caused by receiving certain medicines such as steroids, chemotherapy or radiation; or

if you take a blood thinner (warfarin, Coumadin, Jantoven).

Vaccines may be harmful to an unborn baby and generally should not be given to a pregnant woman. However, not vaccinating the mother could be more harmful to the baby if the mother becomes infected with a disease that BioThrax could prevent. Your doctor will decide whether you should receive this vaccine, especially if you have a high risk of infection with anthrax.

If you are pregnant, your name may be listed on a pregnancy registry. This is to track the outcome of the pregnancy and to evaluate any effects of anthrax vaccine on the baby.

It is not known whether anthrax vaccine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

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How to use BioThrax

Usual Adult Dose of BioThrax for Anthrax Prophylaxis:

Less than 65 years: 0.5 mL suBCutaneously every 2 weeks for 3 doses, followed by 0.5 mL at 6, 12, and 18 months. Annual booster injections are recommended thereafter.

Warnings

You should not receive BioThrax if you have ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to an anthrax vaccine, or if you have ever had anthrax disease acquired through the skin.

Before receiving BioThrax, tell the doctor if you have ever had an allergic reaction to a vaccine, or if you have a weak immune system, if you are pregnant or breast-feeding, if you are allergic to latex rubber, if you are receiving chemotherapy or radiation, or if you have a history of Guillain-Barré syndrome.

You can still receive a vaccine if you have a cold or mild fever. In the case of a more severe illness with a high fever or any type of infection, wait until you get better before receiving BioThrax.

Before receiving BioThrax, tell the doctor about all other vaccines you have recently received. Also tell the doctor if you have recently received drugs or treatments that can weaken the immune system, such as steroids, psoriasis or arthritis medications, medicines to treat or prevent organ transplant rejection, or chemotherapy or radiation treatments. You may not be able to receive the BioThrax, or may need to wait until the other treatments are finished.

Becoming infected with anthrax is much more dangerous to your health than receiving the vaccine to protect against it. Like any medicine, BioThrax can cause side effects, but the risk of serious side effects is extremely low.

BioThrax will not treat an active infection that has already developed in the body.

What other drugs will affect BioThrax

Before receiving this vaccine, tell the doctor about all other vaccines you have recently received.

Other drugs may interact with BioThrax, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell each of your health care providers about all medicines you use now and any medicine you start or stop using.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.