Feds increasing anthrax vaccine stockpile

Seattle Post-Intelligencer ^ | May 5, 2006 | KEN THOMAS

[neverdem]

I am more informed than you give me credit for.

As in, "Guess what. Anthrax virus was all supposed to be accounted for." Please, I studied medicine too long as a profession. Adios

[taxesareforever]

How hard is it for terrorists to use anthrax?

A terrorist would need detailed knowledge and sophisticated facilities to mass-produce anthrax spores or even find the most potent strains of the bacteria. Only extremely fine, dry anthrax powders can make it to the lungs. And distributing it is difficult. Iraq failed to adapt crop dusters to spread the spores during the Gulf War. The Japanese cult Aum Shinrikyo released anthrax ineffectively on several occasions in the 1990s.

Experts say it remains very difficult to transform the deadly bacterium into a weapon that can be effectively dispersed and kill large numbers of people. To develop an anthrax strain in its most lethal form — pulmonary anthrax — spores have to be crafted to just the right size. If too small, a person will exhale the spores. If too large, the spores fall to the ground and become ineffective.

A bomb carrying anthrax would likely destroy the germ as it explodes. Dispersing the bacterium with aerosols is challenging because, unless it is in spore form, it is a wet substance and can clog sprayers.

So this is why I am supposed to be sooooooo scared. Give me a break.