Anthrax: What we've learned about it

As a result, the US government has made it a priority to have an adequate stockpile of certain pharmaceuticals and vaccines. To meet future anthrax threats, government officials have ordered enough doses of the antibiotic Cipro to treat 12 million people over a 60-day period. Bayer, the drug's manufacturer, has agreed to sell it to the government at a steep discount, to avoid losing its patent.

On the other hand, some health experts are concerned that if too many Americans begin taking Cipro (by some estimates, more than 20,000 people are already on it), a tougher, Cipro-resistant bacteria may be the result. Recently, the Centers for Disease Control recommended that, from now on, those needing treatment be given doxycycline, another antibiotic, instead.

As with any outbreak, the initial diagnosis proved critical for authorities trying to contain it. The Florida doctor who correctly diagnosed the first fatal case, despite never before having encountered the disease, helped public-health officials respond early to the crisis, possibly saving other lives.

Almost as important as a good containment strategy is a good communication strategy - which the government conspicuously lacked during the crisis' early days. Officials seeking to reassure the public often made incorrect statements, projecting an image of confusion.

The original anthrax victim, for example, was portrayed as an isolated case, and Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson suggested he contracted the inhaled form of the disease by drinking from a tainted stream (which medical experts say is impossible). Later, officials sought to downplay the sophistication of the anthrax sent to Senator Daschle, calling it "run of the mill," although it turned out to be extremely finely milled.

Experts say that a single, authoritative spokesman is critical to maintaining the public's confidence. In recent weeks, Tom Ridge, the director of homeland defense, has made an effort to hold more regular press briefings, often with government health officials who can present expert scientific and medical opinion.

The government's communications mishaps haven't involved only the public. Early on, there were signs of internal miscommunication between agencies. The confusion over the Daschle sample arose in part because it had been tested by the Army's lab at Fort Detrick, while the other samples had been tested by the Centers for Disease Control - which made it difficult for officials to compare them. And health officials have reportedly blamed the FBI for withholding key information from them.

This crisis has involved only a small amount of actual anthrax, producing 13 illnesses and four fatalities. But the number of false alarms and hoaxes has skyrocketed - something experts say is an inevitable accompaniment to any outbreak in which fear is a major factor.

Since mid-October, the postal-inspection service has responded to some 8,600 anthrax scares, and the FBI has investigated more than 2,500. Lately, officials have asked local rescue workers to try to weed out the most obvious false alarms, instead of rushing to test any and all suspicious powders.

Faster, more reliable testing methods may also help in the future. Recently, researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota announced they have developed a test that can detect the presence of anthrax spores in less than an hour. Currently, the most reliable tests can take days.

Law-enforcement officials are also cracking down on anthrax hoaxes, with at least 20 people facing charges so far. Congress is considering making such hoaxes a federal crime, punishable by five years in prison or fines of more than $10,000.

Page: 1 | 2