Anthrax vaccines

Summary : anthrax, an uncommon disease in humans, is caused by a large bacterium, bacillus anthracis. the risk of inhalation infection is the main indication for anthrax vaccination. pre-exposure vaccination is provided by an acellular vaccine (anthrax vaccine adsorbed or ava), which contains anthrax toxin elements and results in protective immunity after 3 to 6 doses. anthrax vaccine precipitated (avp) is administered at primovaccination in 3 doses with a booster dose after 6 months. to evoke and maintain protective immunity, it is necessary to administer a booster dose once at 12 months. in russia, live spore vaccine (sti) has been used in a two-dose schedule. current anthrax vaccines show considerable local and general reactogenicity (erythema, induration, soreness, fever). serious adverse reactions occur in about 1% of vaccinations. new second-generation vaccines in current research programs include recombinant live vaccines and recombinant sub-unit vaccines.