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What is anthrax?
Anthrax is a bacterial infection. We can get it by contact with the live bacteria or its germinated spore. Anthrax organisms can cause infection in the skin, intestinal system, or the lungs. The method of entry is by rubbing the bacterial spores into broken skin, swallowing, or inhaling the spores as a fine, aerosolized mist. Disease can be prevented after exposure to the anthrax spores by early treatment with the appropriate antibiotics. Anthrax is not spread from one person to another.
What are the symptoms of anthrax infection?
Anthrax can enter the body in three ways:
A CUTANEOUS infection usually begins as a red-brown itchy bump that resembles an insect bite, boil or lesion, enlarging within 1-2 days into a fluid filled sac or cyst frequently surrounded by a red halo. It then develops into a painless ulcer, 1-3 cm, with a black center of dying tissue. Local lymph gland swelling is common and muscle aches, fever, fatigue, headache, nausea and vomiting are possible. It untreated, 20% of all cases end in death. Swift treatment is usually effective.
AN INTESTINAL infection produces initial symptoms of nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting and fever after eating infected meat. These are followed by abdominal pains, vomiting of blood and severe diarrhea. Death can occur in 25 to 60% of cases.
A PULMONARY infection occurs one to six days after inhaling the bacteria.
The first phase is similar to the common cold. Fatigue, fever, mild chest discomfort and a dry cough and sometimes, a sensation of chest oppression lasting for about 24 hours. These symptoms may dissipate after 2-4 days.
Within 24 hours of the first symptoms, the person will experience serious breathing difficulties, sweating and shock. This is rapidly followed by death.
How is anthrax different from the common cold?
How do you test for anthrax?
How do you treat anthrax?
How can we protect ourselves?
How serious is anthrax as bioterrorism?
Anthrax does not have the upper respiratory infection of a cold. With anthrax, there is NO RUNNY NOSE or NO SORE THROAT as associated with the flu, a cold or sinusitis. Anthrax, however, takes a turn for the worst after three to seven days and progresses rapidly to death.
A sample of blood, skin lesion or respiratory secretion is tested for antibodies to the anthrax bacterium.
Early detection is essential for successful treatment of the intestinal and pulmonary forms. Taken within 12 hours before or after infection and prior to symptoms, ciproflaxin hydrochloride or CIPRO is used to fight bacterial infections occuring in the lower respiratory tract, bone, joint, skin, sinuses or urinary tract. CIPRO is useless against flu or a viral cold. Penicillin, tetracycline and doxycycline are also used to treat certain strains of anthrax. A vaccine is available but strongly discouraged for use by the general public because of reported side effects.
Many facilities in communities around the country have received anthrax threat letters. Most were empty envelopes; some have contained powdery substances. The objective is to prevent the bacteria from entering the body.
IF YOU FIND A SUSPICIOUS LETTER OR PACKAGE:
1. DO NOT shake or empty the contents of any suspicious envelope or package.
2. PLACE the envelope or package in a plastic bag or some other type of container to prevent leakage of contents.
3. If you do not have any container, then COVER the envelope or package with anything (e.g., clothing, paper, trash can, etc.) and do not remove this cover.
4. LEAVE the room and CLOSE the door, or section off the area to prevent others from entering (i.e., keep others away).
5. WASH your hands with soap and water to prevent spreading any powder to your face.
6. What to do next...
a. If you are at HOME, then report the incident to local police.
b. If you are at WORK, then report the incident to local police, and notify your building security official or an available supervisor.
7. LIST all people who were in the room or area when this suspicious letter or package was recognized. Give this list to both the local public health authorities and law enforcement officials for follow-up investigations and advice.
IF POWDER IS FOUND OR SPILLED FROM THE MAIL:
1. DO NOT try to CLEAN UP the powder. COVER the spilled contents immediately with anything (e.g., clothing, paper, trash can, etc.) and do not remove this cover!
2. Then LEAVE the room and CLOSE the door, or section off the area to prevent others from entering (i.e., keep others away).
3. WASH your hands with soap and water to prevent spreading any powder to your face.
4. What to do next...
a. If you are at HOME, then report the incident to local police.
b. If you are at WORK, then report the incident to local police, and notify your building security official or an available supervisor.
5. REMOVE heavily contaminated clothing as soon as possible and place in a plastic bag, or some other container that can be sealed. This clothing bag should be given to the emergency responders for proper handling.
6. SHOWER with soap and water as soon as possible. Do Not Use Full-strength Bleach or other Disinfectant On Your Skin. Use a 1:9 bleach to water diluted solution.
7. If possible, list all people who were in the room or area, especially those who had actual contact with the powder. Give this list to both the local public health authorities so that proper instructions can be given for medical follow-up, and to law enforcement officials for further investigation.
IF A ROOM IS CONTAMINATED BY AN AEROSOL:
For example: small device triggered, warning that air-handling system is contaminated, or warning that a biological agent released in a public space.
1. Turn off local fans or ventilation units in the area.
2. LEAVE area immediately.
3. CLOSE the door, or section off the area to prevent others from entering (i.e., keep others away).
4. What to do next...
a. If you are at HOME, then dial "911" to report the incident to local police and the local FBI field office.
b. If you are at WORK, then dial "911" to report the incident to local police and the local FBI field office, and notify your building security official or an available supervisor.
5. SHUT down air handling system in the building, if possible.
6. If possible, list all people who were in the room or area. Give this list to both the local public health authorities so that proper instructions can be given for medical follow-up, and to law enforcement officials for further investigation.
HOW TO IDENTIFY SUSPICIOUS PACKAGES AND LETTERS
Some characteristics of suspicious packages and letters include the following:
a. Excessive postage.
b. Handwritten or poorly typed addresses.
c. Incorrect titles.
d. Title, but no name.
e. Misspellings of common words.
f. Oily stains, discolorations or odor.
g. No return address.
h. Excessive weight.
i. Lopsided or uneven envelope.
j. Protruding wires or aluminum foil.
k. Excessive security material such as masking tape, string, etc.
l. Visual distractions.
m. Ticking sound.
n. Marked with restrictive endorsements, such as "Personal" or "Confidential".
o. Shows a city or state in the postmark that does not match the return address.
Let's keep this situation in perspective. According to the US Surgeon General's Office, the following statistics apply to the United States:
269 people die in auto accidents each day.
5000 people died from food poisoning in the year 2000.
20,000 people died in 2000 from the flu.
So far, only five deaths have been recorded from anthrax attacks.