Abstract: The invention provides methods and materials for identifying agents for preventing and/or treating anthrax and similar diseases. Embodiments provide strains and model systems for studying non-lethal and lethal exposure to anthrax and similar disease vectors. Embodiments provide materials and methods for using the strains and model systems for differential profiling, such as proteomic profiling, such as differentiation phosphorylation profiling, to target identification and therapeutics discovery and development. Embodiments provide pharmaceutically acceptable compositions, and methods for using them to prevent and/or treat anthrax and similar diseases comprising an agent that decreases the activity of caspase ¼, such as YVAD, and/or an agent that increases the phosphorylation of AKT, such as IB-MECA or Cl-IB-MECA, together with, in particular embodiments, an antibiotic, such as ciprofloxacin. Kits comprising the same are provided as well, among other things.

Abstract: A treatment for the effects of biological threat agents, such as smallpox virus or anthrax, to be administered either post-infection or as prophylaxis for infection, comprises administration of IFN-&agr;, IFN-&ggr;, or the cell wall of the bacteria B. alcalolophilus, E. faecium, S. caseolyticus, or B. stearothermoohilus or a combination of these components. Additionally, the treatment comprises a combination of antibodies, such as antibodies to heat-inactivated anthrax microbes or to the anthrax Protective Antigen, and antibiotics, such as ciprofloxacin. The treatment also comprises the peptidoglycan, lipoteichoic acid, or muramyl peptide fraction of bacterial cell walls, either alone or in combination with the cytokines, antibodies, and antibiotics provided. These treatments for smallpox and anthrax are administered as an inhalation preparation and therefore avoid the toxic effects of the higher doses of these components.

Abstract: Inhibition of LeTx activity is provided as a treatment of anthrax infection. In particular, inhibition of the apoptotic effects of LeTx is provided as a targeted means of specifically treating anthrax infection. Treatments include inhibition of the Fas/FasL signaling pathway, inhibition of the effects of sFasL, inhibition of proteases of the caspase family and protection from loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential in infected cells. Additionally, treatments targeting inhibition of apoptosis induced by LeTx activity include enhancement of the ERK (MAPK)-signaling pathway by agents including GM-CSF. The method of treating an infectious disease also comprises administering a combination of an antitoxin substance, which protects host cells from microbial toxin, and an antibiotic to an infected person. The anti-toxin substance includes different apoptosis inhibitors.