Ciprofloxacin
Ciprofloxacin, drug used to treat bacterial infections in the lower respiratory tract, urinary tract, bones, joints, and skin. It is also used to treat serious ear infections, cholera, tuberculosis, infectious diarrhea, and infections associated with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Ciprofloxacin is prescribed after exposure to the bacteria that cause anthrax to reduce the incidence or progression of the disease. For maximum effectiveness against inhalation anthrax, the most dangerous form of the disease, the drug should be administered as soon as possible after exposure, even before symptoms appear. Ciprofloxacin works by blocking the action of gyrase, an enzyme needed by the invading bacteria for cell reproduction, thereby slowing or completely stopping bacterial growth. The drug is available by prescription in tablets, which are taken orally with or without food, and in a liquid, which is used in the form of eyedrops. Depending on the severity of infection, dosages for t