Fears Of Anthrax Addressed
A day after scientists warned that Americans are not prepared for the possibility of a devastating anthrax attack, President Clinton unveiled new legislation to combat bioterrorism.
Mr. Clinton said Wednesday he hoped the new legislation would toughen penalties for unauthorized possession of such harmful biological agents as anthrax and hold certified handlers of such materials accountable for their misuse.
"It essentially bans the possession of these agents for other than peaceful purposes and makes the unsafe handling of them a crime as well," said an administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
In a report published in Tuesday's Journal of the American Medical Association, the Working Group on Civilian Biodefense said the elusive and deadly bacteria could kill over a million people within 24 to 48 hours, probably well before doctors understood what was happening.
"The possibility of a terrorist attack using bioweapons would be especially difficult to predict, detect, or prevent, and thus it is among the most feared terrorist scenarios," the report says.
The group cited a 1993 government report that said it would take only about 20 pounds of anthrax to kill 3 million people. Anthrax is colorless, odorless, inexpensive to make and easy to transport.
Because anthrax infections can be controlled with antibiotics if administered very early, doctors and radiologists need to know what to look for, the report says.
Shortness of breath, an early sign of anthrax infection, could be mistaken for pneumonia. Other early symptoms include fever, cough, headache, vomiting, and chills, which could be mistaken for a bad flu.
"The trick here is to identify as quickly as possible and recommend antibiotic treatment of all those who might have been exposed ... and treat them for two months, which is a huge task," said Dr. D.A. Henderson, co-author of the report and director of the Center for Civilian Biodefense Studies at Johns Hopkins University.
At least 17 nations,including Iraq, are believed to have biological weapons programs, but it is unknown how many are working with anthrax, the report in JAMA said.
The research team found that anthrax remains deadly far longer than previously thought. It was believed that cases would occur within six days of exposure. But the group found the danger period lasts up to 46 days.
If an anthrax attack happens, doctors should use vaccines in combination with antibiotics, and cremation of bodies should be considered to prevent transmission.
Henderson said the widespread use of the anthrax vaccine as a preventative is not recommended, unless a terrorist problem becomes real. In the meantime, efforts under way to produce large amounts of the vaccine should be stepped up so it will be ready if needed, he said.
Henderson also said he's convinced the vaccine is safe and is puzzled by concerns raised about it. Last week, the commander of Dover Ar Force Base halted some anthrax vaccinations until airmen's concerns could be answered. They were resumed Tuesday after military health experts reassured airmen of the safety of the vaccine.
"I am really quite surprised by the negative reactions," Henderson said. "This is a vaccine that protects against a very serious disease."