So the hubby has to get his second shot of anthrax today! He said its like 2 of 6! How crazy is that??!?!I dont really know to much about anthrax so i decided to look it up and this is some of what i found: (http://www.gwu.edu/~cih/anthraxinfo/vaccine/vaccine_index.htm)
History
A safe and effective human vaccine was first developed in the 1950’s (see Anthrax History). In 1970, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a newer, more potent version, which is still in use today.
The U.S. anthrax vaccine does not contain any anthrax cells, dead or alive. One company, BioPort Corporation, produces the vaccine, although other companies are testing different versions of anthrax vaccines. The vaccine, BioThrax™ (FDA Prescribing Information), is licensed to be given in a 6-dose series.
In 1962, a controlled study using mill workers found that the anthrax vaccine was 92.5% effective at protecting against anthrax. This rate refers to both cutaneous and inhalational cases of anthrax. 3
In 1997, the U.S. Department of Defense announced a major program to vaccinate active-duty and reserve personnel.
The
vaccine is currently approved for people at risk of exposure to anthrax spores, principally military personnel and some agricultural and laboratory workers. Since the 1970’s, more than 4 million doses have been given.
In response to the bioterrorism attacks in fall 2001, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) offered the vaccine to postal workers and Capitol Hill employees who were exposed to inhalation anthrax in the 2001 mail attacks.
The vaccine is FDA-licensed to fight anthrax infection BEFORE exposure using a 6-dose schedule. Because the vaccine was offered to those postal workers and Capitol Hill employees on a 3-dose schedule AFTER exposure, this way of using the vaccine is considered clinical research and an investigational use of a licensed drug.
» Administration (How is it Given?)
The proper schedule for the anthrax vaccine is with 6 doses, given subcutaneously (about ½ inch under the skin). The series consists of three injections given 2 weeks apart (0, 2,and 4 weeks), followed by three additional injections given 6, 12, and 18 months later. Booster injections of the vaccine are recommended yearly thereafter for people at continued risk of exposure.
» Side Effects
As with any vaccine, there are expected side effects that can happen after the vaccine is given. Common side effects are tenderness, soreness and redness at the site of the injection, as well as some fever, muscle aches and pains. The side effects are generally mild and go away on their own. Several studies have reported different findings on the likelihood of having such a reaction.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) these are some common reported side effects and their frequency:
Soreness, redness, or itching where the shot was given (about 1 out of 10 men, about 1 out of 6 women)
A lump where the shot was given (about 1 person out of 2)
Muscle aches or joint aches (about 1 person out of 5)
Headaches (about 1 person out of 5)
Fatigue (about 1 out of 15 men, about 1 out of 6 women)
Chills or fever (about 1 person out of 20)
Nausea (about 1 person out of 20).
To evaluate reports of adverse events after anthrax vaccination, the Department of Health and Human Services assembled a committee of civilian physicians, called the Anthrax Vaccine Expert Committee, to review all reports of side effects. The committee reviewed 1,893 reports. Approximately three percent, or sixty-four of the 1,857 reports involved hospitalization. The physicians concluded that 11 of the 64 reports were certainly or probably caused by anthrax vaccine. All 11 involved swelling at the vaccination site. To avoid this swelling, the physicians recommended that the vaccine be given over the deltoid region of the upper arm, not over the triceps region
» Availability
Currently the anthrax vaccine is only recommended for high-risk populations. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recommended anthrax vaccination for the following groups:
Persons who work directly with the organism in the laboratory.
Persons who work with imported animal hides or furs in areas where standards are insufficient to prevent exposure to anthrax spores.
Persons who handle potentially infected animal products in high-incidence areas; while incidence is low in the United States, veterinarians who travel to work in other countries where incidence is higher should consider being vaccinated.
Military personnel deployed to areas with high risk for exposure to the organism.
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