The bioterrorist threat in America: Is there any reason to be concerned?

Just over a year ago the American way of life was turned upside-down with the attacks of Sept. 11. Despite increased homeland security in the months following the attacks, a new threat emerged: bioterrorism.

As reports of Bascillus anthracis, commonly known as anthrax, flooded in, the nation began to focus on the threats presented by chemical weapons.

Anthrax is a spore-forming bacteria commonly found in lower vertebrates such as cattle, sheep and goats. It is transmitted through skin contact, inhalation and ingestion. Symptoms of contracting the disease usually occur within seven days of infection.

While anthrax can be treated with antibiotics, the disease carries serious risk of fatality. Twenty percent of untreated infections stemming from skin contact will result in death, while consumption of the anthrax tainted products carries a 25 percent to 60 percent chance of death, and inhalation of the bacteria is usually fatal.

In the period following the Sept 11 attacks, five deaths were attributed to anthrax. While even this number may seem like a staggering thought, experts say that detection of anthrax infection was easy as compared to a true biological assault.

A study was conducted by The Association of Public Health Laboratories examining the breakdowns that occurred as a result of the anthrax scare. The shocking findings showed that more than half of the 47 labs participating did not have a method of quickly reporting an outbreak to the necessary state facilities.

Dr. Margaret Hamburg, a former New York City health commissioner was quoted in the Chicago Tribune as saying, "The anthrax powder came in a sealed envelope with the message, OThis is anthrax. Take penicillin.' We could define a perimeter in terms of who was exposed and have faith that the illness wasn't contagious."

However, a wide-scale biological assault would be quite a different matter. In an effort to ameliorate the situation, the government is pouring billions of dollars into the nation's public health system. Under President Bush $11 billion has been promised to reorganize the health care system. To date, more than $3 billion of this federal funding has been released.

There are, nonetheless, many skeptics who believe that the money will not be enough.

Dr. Tara O'Toole, director of the Center for Civilian Biodefense Strategy at Johns Hopkins University was quoted as saying in the Chicago Tribune, "The federal government is just beginning to come to grips with this new threat and has not yet appropriately dealt with it ? We still don't have a full-fledged national strategy for coping with bioterrorism."

In fact, despite the increased funding the government has not even taken some of the most basic steps needed. Frontline medical responders have not been vaccinated against smallpox, nor have the necessary steps been taken to computerize reports of disease. Some of the problems seem to stem from the funding itself, as there is confusion regarding the division of funds between public and private institutions.

While not all the necessary steps are in place, progress has been made. The Center for Disease Control has increased its laboratory capacity, and is now able to detect 150 toxic chemicals. As well a national detection network of 200 labs has been setup.

Is America ready to take on the next "anthrax" attack?

No one knows for sure, but it seems that in terms of biological detection, America is still on shaky ground. Serious progress has been made, and with continued support and funding, the progress will undoubtedly continue.