ICD-10 Specific code A22.1: Pulmonary anthrax

Bacterial lysates are powerful inducers of a specific locoregional immune response that significantly enhance the concentration of antibodies directed to antigenic structures of bacteria most commonly observed during infections of the upper respiratory tract.

Benzylpenicillin is a beta-lactam antibiotic. It is bacteriocidal by inhibiting bacterial cell wall biosynthesis. Penicillin resistance can be mediated by alteration of penicillin binding proteins or development of beta-lactamases.

Tetracyclines have a broad spectrum of anti-microbial activity and act by interfering with bacterial protein synthesis. They are active against a large number of gram positive and gram negative pathogenic bacteria, including some which are resistant to penicillin.

Flucloxacillin is an isoxazolyl penicillin of the β-lactam group of antibiotics which exerts a bactericidal effect upon many Gram-positive organisms including β-lactamase-producing staphylococci and streptococci.

Minocycline is a semi-synthetic derivative of tetracycline. Minocycline inhibits protein synthesis in susceptible bacteria. In common with other tetracyclines it is primarily bacteriostatic and has a similar spectrum of activity to other tetracyclines.

Obiltoxaximab is a monoclonal antibody that binds the protective antigen (PA) of B. anthracis. Obiltoxaximab inhibits the binding of PA to its cellular receptors, preventing the intracellular entry of the anthrax lethal factor and oedema factor, the enzymatic toxin components responsible for the pathogenic effects of anthrax toxin.

Ofloxacin is a quinolone-carboxylic acid derivative with a wide range of antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive organisms. The primary mode of action of the quinolones is the specific inhibition of bacterial DNA gyrase. This enzyme is required for DNA replication, transcription, repair and recombination.

Piperacillin is a broad-spectrum, semisynthetic penicillin. Piperacillin exerts bactericidal activity by inhibition of both septum and cell-wall synthesis.

Sultamicillin is the tosylate salt of the double ester of sulbactam plus ampicillin. Sulbactam is a semisynthetic beta-lactamase inhibitor which, in combination with ampicillin, extends the antibacterial activity of the latter to include some beta-lactamase-producing strains of bacteria that would otherwise be resistant.

Ticarcillin disrupts bacterial cell wall development by inhibiting peptidoglycan synthesis and/or by interacting with penicillin-binding proteins.