How Long After Being Exposed to Anthrax do People Get Sick?
It takes a few days after exposure to anthrax for the bacteria to grow enough to make people sick. After breathing in spores, it takes up to 10 days (most often four to five days) before people first start to feel ill. It takes a bit longer for the skin form of the disease to appear. If treatment is started early in illness, it is effective. This means that you don’t need to start antibiotics immediately after exposure to be protected. It is safe for you to wait until the substance you were exposed to is tested before starting antibiotics.
