People report redness, swelling, pain, burning, itching, and similar temporary symptoms at the injection site after anthrax vaccination.

A burning sensation may occur immediately after getting anthrax vaccine and can last about a minute.


Like other vaccines, anthrax vaccine may cause soreness, redness, itching, swelling and a small lump at the injection site.

Women may experience more local reactions than men, but these reactions usually last only a few days.

Other symptoms may occur such as muscle or joint aches, headaches, rashes, chills, low-grade fever
or nausea. These symptoms usually go away in less than a week.

The rate of these reactions is similar to that of other vaccines.

In rare cases, a few people may need to be exempted from further doses.


This is true for all vaccines.

On 11 December 2008, the FDA approved a change in route of administration for the
anthrax vaccine adsorbed from a subcutaneous (SC) injection over the deltoid to an
intramuscular (IM) injection in the deltoid.

A recent CDC study shows the route change to IM has significantly reduced the local reactions
and discomfort at the injection site and still affords the same level of protection against anthrax as
with the previous SC injections.

Lumps under the skin were often seen when the anthrax vaccine was administered as a SC injection.

Anthrax vaccine administered as an IM injection in the deltoid has reduced the lumps at the injection site.