OT A different view from the popular view about Anthrax
Like most Americans I am scared of Anthrax. I even secretly congratulated myself of that excellent move I made several years ago of reducing the use of the mails by paying my bills via Internet. Each member of the family have their own ideas of buying Gas Masks and digging bunker type holes in the back yard and imagine ways of combating terrorism. I even entertained the thought of the U.S. putting Anthrax on the entrances of the caves of Bin Laden so as to let him and his terrorist kind of people suffer also what we are suffering now.
I got this piece of news about Anthrax from ABS-CBN (Philippines) and after reading it I wondered whether in my youth I contacted this disease before. I was fond riding on the back of carabaos (water buffalos) before: ---
21 Pinoys survived anthrax in 1999National Talk: DOH downplays Anthrax scare
By TED A. REGENCIA
abs-cbnNEWS.com
At least 21 Filipinos survived the now dreaded anthrax infection in 1999 during the first reported outbreak of the disease in the country, an epidemiologist revealed Friday.
Noel T. Orosco, a fellow at the Department of Health's (DOH) National Epidemiology Center (NEC), said 21 cases of anthrax were reported in Ilocos Sur in 1999 but all those infected were "completely treated."
The infection was apparently acquired by some Ilocos farmers from an infected carabao.
Orosco said not a single case was reported since the 1999 outbreak.
There is no reason for the public to sound the alarm bells, Orosco said, adding that "the probability of a person contracting anthrax is very low."
"As medical experts said, the probability of winning in lotto is greater than contracting anthrax," he said.
Orosco assured that the DOH is capable of dealing with anthrax, even as he advised the public to refrain from over-reacting to news reports.
Unfounded fears
Fears of a bio-terrorist attack using anthrax spores swept the world in the past days following the death of an American due to anthrax infection.
More than a dozen persons were also tested positive of anthrax exposure across the United States. Many of the cases were traced from anthrax-laced letters.
Orosco, however, downplayed the possibility of high anthrax cases occurring in the Philippines.
The letters suspected to be anthrax-laced forwarded to the DOH all tested negative.
Orosco said that contrary to reports, anthrax-related wounds "are not painful but only itchy."
"There are a number of people who complained to us that as soon as they opened suspicious letters, they immediately felt some pain or itch. That's not true with anthrax infection," Orosco said.
He said it would take two days to two months before an anthrax infection is detected.
Common infection
To further reassure the public against the scare, Orosco said farmers "just laugh off anthrax infection because it is very common in the provinces."
He said infections are also confined to animals like carabaos, cows and goats.
Even if a person tested positive of anthrax, Orosco said, it could be easily treated using ordinary antibiotics like amoxicillin and penicillin.
Doctors can easily detect infection even through visual inspection, he said, adding that the DOH, through its Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, has the laboratory equipment to determine infections.
"We also have an international network with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States. So if we need their help, we can ask them," Orosco said.
'Suicidal'
Only "suicidal" persons will try to spread anthrax through mails, said Orosco.
He said the act of lacing an envelope with bacteria is already very dangerous. "Anthrax bacteria, intended to infect humans through inhalation, are very very fine. In the process of spreading the bacteria, the person responsible, not only risks himself but also the people around him," Orosco said.
"You also need a laboratory to create the type of anthrax that can be 'weaponized,'" he added.
In the Philippines, even if there are areas where anthrax is common, Orosco said it is very rare to be infected through inhalation.
"Even if you inhale an anthrax bacteria, if it is not fine enough to enter your lungs," Orosco said, adding that a person could easily exhale it.
"In the case of [skin] infection, a quick washing or shower, will do," he said. "In the case of ingestion, a doctor can give you an antibiotic," he added.
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