V RaptureChrist Newsletter
Oct 15, 2001

Bacillus anthracis -- the cause

Anthrax is an illness caused by a gram positive bacillus, Bacillus anthracis. It is  a disease of  grazing animals such as cattle, horses, sheep, and goats. Human infection is very rare; the people who usually acquire the disease are  farmers, veterinarians, and tannery and wool workers.

The disease has two forms.  The most common form is cutaneous anthrax -- the mode of entry being injured skin.  The pulmonary form, inhalation anthrax (woolsorters' disease), is extremely rare and is the one used in biological warfare.

Inhalation anthrax is acquired by breathing in spores.  The spores germinate in the lungs causing pneumonia.  From the lungs the infection migrates to the mediastinal lymphatic nodes and then it becomes systemic spreading through the blood to other organs such as the brain -- causing meningitis.   

Symptoms:

1- 6 days after inhalation  (the incubation could last a month):

  • fatigue
  • fever
  • headache
  • chest discomfort
  • nose and throat congestion
  • dry cough

Symptoms may improve for a few hours or 2-3 days

After 2-3 days symptoms worsen:

  • cyanosis ( blue colored lips, skin)
  • difficulty breathing
  • fever and sweating
  • headache
  • joint stiffness and neck stiffness
  • shock and death in 24-36 hours.

Medical Tests:

  • chest x-ray
  • blood culture
  • lumbar puncture for CSF analysis (if pt shows signs of meningitis)
  • serologic test

Virulence:

  • capsule
  • toxin

The mucoid capsule that surrounds the bacillus makes phagocytosis (engulfing the bacteria) by neutrophils and macrophages difficult.

The toxins produced by the bacillus causes edema and hemorrhage.

Complications:

  • Hemorrhagic meningitis
  • Adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
  • Shock
  • Death

Treatment:

Prevention is  the only treatment for inhalation anthrax.  It could be done with vaccination or with antibiotics. 

The problem with using the vaccine is that it is not readily available; it is only used for military personnel. 

The problems with using antibiotics in asymptomatic patients are the following:

  • The longer the use, the faster bacteria develops resistance.
  • The longer the treatment, the higher the incidence of side effects and organ damage  to the patient

Treatment of contaminated areas:

Disinfecting contaminated objects (fomites) is possible using a 0.05% hypochlorite solution (1 tbps. bleach per gallon of water). The spores are more resistant and need steam sterilization (autoclave).

To avoid the exposure to disseminated spores in the air, citizens must know that rains could clean the air and bring the spores to deeper areas of the soil where they will not become airbound again. The ultraviolet rays of the sun can also kill the spores.

Staying away from crowded places where terrorists could disseminate spores is another effective way to avoid exposure.

Anthrax in Biological Warfare

The worst treacherous criminals  are living in the shadows. They are the  Islamic terrorists,  brainwashed to carry out suicide missions from an early age.

These groups are the ones most likely to carry out chemical,  biological, and nuclear attacks, the fear of which is now paralyzing  America.

The US Government is looking closely at the two anthrax cases in Florida. The first casualty, Robert Stevens, lived less than one mile south  from the airport where Mohammed Atta, one of the hijackers who crashed an airliner into the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, took flying lessons.

Robert Stevens was photo editor for American Media Inc (AMI), editors for The National Enquirer and the Sun, based in Boca Raton, Florida.

The second anthrax case in South Florida, Ernesto Blanco, was employed at the same place of work as Robert Stevens.

The third case, Stephanie Daily, also works at AMI. 

How did they contract anthrax?

There have been only 18 cases of inhalation anthrax in the US in the entire 20th century. The last case was 25 years ago.

Neither Mr. Stevens,  Mr. Blanco, nor Ms. Daily were veterinarians, woolsorters, or tanners -- which have a higher than average rate of exposure. Mr. Stevens worked as a photo editor; Mr. Blanco and Ms. Daily worked in the mailroom of the same building.

Law enforcement sources said investigators were unable to match the South Florida strain of anthrax with any on record -- the closest match was a laboratory manufactured strain.

What occurred was obviously an act of biological warfare aimed at the United States by the Al Qaeda network of terrorists headed by Usama bin Laden.

The Islamic militants received their training in the use of anthrax from Iraqi military intelligence experts.

According US officials Mohammed Atta met with Iraqi intelligence agents in Prague, Czech Republic on two occasions, June 2000 and April 2001.

Iraq is the only country known to be actively developing substances for chemical and biological warfare such as anthrax, sarin, mustard gas and nerve gases to be used against civilian targets.

Anthrax spores are one of the top choices of weapons for biological warfare.  The spores of B. anthracis are easily produced, and in dry form remain viable for decades.

 When released, the spores are easily dispersed in air for inhalation by unprotected people who live downwind from the site of release.  The spores will remain viable in the soil for many years.

How are the spores released?

A cloud of anthrax spores could be released at strategic locations using  airplanes, especially crop dusters.

Mohamed Atta was seen in Belle Glade, Florida trying to buy a crop dusting plane.

If he had succeeded we would currently have thousands of cases instead of three.

How is South Florida coping?

Employees of American Media Inc (AMI) are being tested for anthrax  at the Delray Health Center close to Boca Raton, Florida.  They are also getting a two-week supply of  ciprofloxacin, an antibiotic that is effective against anthrax.

Christ told us these plagues would come upon humanity.

Revelation 6:8
and I saw, and lo, a yellow-green horse, and he who is sitting upon him -- his name is Death, and Hades does follow with him, and there was given to them authority to kill, (over the fourth part of the land,) with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and by the beasts of the land.

The original Greek word translated as beasts is "therion" "θ η ρ ι ω ν" which also means evil beastly men. These terrorists are "wild beasts" and behave like animals.

Pray that God come soon to rescue us.

 

Return to Main Menu