Weaponized Anthrax
One of the deadliest bioweapons known to man
One of the most lethal forms of biological warfare can be easily made and distributed through water, food, and air. Anthrax, caused by a bacterium called Bacillus anthracis, is found naturally in soil and can remain in nature for years.
Infamous post-911 bioterror attack
The worst biological attack in U.S. history occurred shortly after the 911 attack when anthrax spores were mailed through the US Postal Service system, causing 17 confirmed cases and 5 deaths.
Easily produced and can last for years
Terrorist groups around the world have produced Anthrax which can be spread through air as a powder. It can remain in the environment for years making it the ideal candidate for a long-lasting, biological terror event. It is easily produced and requires little education or equipment to produce. In addition, the spores are colorless, odorless, and tasteless. (1)
One of the Most Likely Bioterror agents
"Recent threat analyses have made it clear that many of us have been underestimating the size of the threat associated with outdoor release of spores of Bacillus anthracis — the organism that causes anthrax," said William Raub, PhD, principal deputy assistant secretary of public health emergency preparedness at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). "We now realize that using only conventional microbiological techniques and commercially available spraying equipment, terrorists could distribute Bacillus anthracis spores over an area of several square miles. If those several square miles correspond to a densely populated area, we would have a public health crisis unlike any we ever have faced."(2)
A short history of biowarfare
Biological weapons have been around for a long time. A very long time.
1347- Ever since Mongol forces catapulted plague-infested bodies over the walls into the Black Sea port of Caffa, biological warfare has been a serious threat to our existence. This event began what is now known as the Black Death pandemic, starting in Italy and over the course of 4 years killing 25 million people.
World Wars and Bioweapons
WW1-Humans weren’t the only casualties of biowarfare. In World War 1, Germans infected horses and cattle in the United States prior to shipment across the Atlantic with an infectious agent called glanders.
Because of this and other biowarfare practices, many countries signed the 1925 Geneva Protocol, banning the use of biological and chemical weapons in war. However, Japan, which had signed the agreement, continued to develop, produce, and test biological products.
WW2 brought no documented evidence of bioweapon use. However, because of the Japanese use of bioweapons against the Chinese, research and development programs continued in the U.S., U.K., Germany, and the Soviet Union. (3)
Bioweapons during the Cold War era
The Cold War ear began in 1947 and ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Research and development programs were ramped up during the height of the Cold War era.
The Biological Weapons Convention, (BWC) held in 1972 supposedly put an end to these programs. However, there is no way of verifying inspection procedures by the countries that signed it.
Cold War Era 2.0
It is quite possible and probable that despite the statements to the contrary, biowarfare has and is currently being carried out by nations throughout the world, including the U.S.
Trust me I’m from the government
Look no further than the recent COVID-19 outbreak to see how a bio lab in Wuhan “allowed/accidentally” a virus to escape and turn the entire world on its tail.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a federally funded research and development center website states:
“Fueled by a deep understanding of complex biological systems, at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), we integrate state-of-the-art analytical tools, systems biology techniques, human models, and high-performance computing while drawing on our expertise and collaborations across the nation’s defense community. This integrated approach allows us to explore underlying mechanisms of disease and engineer microbial communities, addressing biosecurity, health, and ecological threats.” (Bio-warfare research?)
Anthrax exposure of concern - symptoms and mortality rate
- Cutaneous(skin)
spores enter through a cut or scrape on the skin, causing swelling, blisters, and sores. Considered the least dangerous, however, it carries a 20% mortality rate if not treated)
- Inhalation (most likely a form of bioterror)
The most deadly form, without treatment almost 100% fatal, with aggressive antibiotic treatment 55% survive. Symptoms usually develop within a week post-exposure but can take up to 2 months.
Initial symptoms start in lymph nodes in the chest before spreading throughout the rest of the body, causing severe respiratory distress and shock.
- Gastrointestinal anthrax (exposure through food and water supplies) Usually occurs through raw or undercooked meat consumption. The onset of symptoms usually occurs from one to seven days after exposure. Without treatment over half of patients die. With treatment, 60 % of patients survive. (4)
Treatment
The US stockpiles antibiotics and other drugs and supplies in the event of a bioterror event. Ciprofloxacin, an antibiotic in the fluoroquinolone class is one of the most effective antibiotics against anthrax exposure.
Cipro and the black box warning
A black box warning is issued by the FDA for drugs that can cause adverse, even fatal reactions. Fluoroquinolones carry a black box warning for the tendency to cause tendon rupture. However, ciprofloxacin was not found to increase the risk of tendon rupture.
A study titled, “Association between tendon ruptures and use of fluoroquinolone, and other oral antibiotics: a 10-year retrospective study of 1 million US senior Medicare beneficiaries” assessed over a million Medicare age (65 and older) for tendon rupture (Achilleas and rotator cuff) when using drugs in the fluoroquinolone class” revealed that of the three fluoroquinolones tested-levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and moxifloxacin-only levofloxacin exhibited a significant risk of tendon rupture. Ciprofloxacin and moxifloxacin exhibited no increased risk of tendon ruptures. (5)
Be Proactive- Before it’s too late
The government is stockpiling medicine and supplies. Given the chaos ensuing globally, it’s time to be proactive. There may be a time when you may not be able to get these medications for an extended period.
Our Emergency Travel Kit contains ciprofloxacin and other lifesaving drugs that cover bioterror events and other medical emergencies.
References
- Johari MR. Anthrax - Biological Threat in the 21(st) Century. Malays J Med Sci. 2002 Jan;9(1):1-2. PMID: 22969310; PMCID: PMC3436101.
- Encyclopedia Britannica. (n.d.). Biological weapon - Biological weapons in history. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/technology/biological-weapon/Biological-weapons-in-history
- Relias Media. (n.d.). The threat of airborne anthrax adds urgency to antibiotic stockpile plans. Retrieved from https://www.reliasmedia.com/articles/1763-the-threat-of-airborne-anthrax-adds-urgency-to-antibiotic-stockpile-plans
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). About Anthrax. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/anthrax/about/index.html
- Baik S, Lau J, Huser V, McDonald CJ. Association between tendon ruptures and use of fluoroquinolone, and other oral antibiotics: a 10-year retrospective study of 1 million US senior Medicare beneficiaries. BMJ Open. 2020 Dec 21;10(12):e034844. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-034844. PMID: 33371012; PMCID: PMC7754651.
Written By Brooke Lounsbury
