Anthrax Vaccination :: essays research papers

The anthrax vaccination is the only know defense gettable for unite States Troops against the hurtful anthrax computer virus. Many experts have verbalize it is not effective against inhalation anthrax. Studies havenot been conclusive in their findings. The chance of living if you have received the anthrax vaccinationseems better. much studies should be conducted outside the Department of Defense, with theircooperation, before the process to vaccinate military continues.Anthrax is a disease normally associated with plant eating animals (sheep, goats, and cattle) caused bythe bacterium Bacillius anthracis. It is now controlled through vaccination programs throughout theworld including the United States. Hu musical composition infection with anthrax usually results from contact withinfected animals or products. Anthrax was discovered by Robert Koch in 1876. An effective vaccine foranimals was demonstrable in 1881 by Louis Pasteur. In humans, the disease appears in both immateria l and inherent forms. The external form is contracted through cuts and breaks in the skin. The internal form iscaught by inhaling anthrax spores, which invade the lungs and intestinal tract (Funk and Wagnalls newfoundEncyclopedia, 1996).Russian scientists have created a new form of the anthrax virus by genetic engineering. Col. ArthurFriedlander , chief of the bacteriology division at the U.S. army medical checkup Research Institute states, Theevidence that they presented suggested that it could be resistant to our vaccine (Riechman, Army Times03-09-98). When anthrax is used as a biological weapon, mint become infected by breathing thespores released in the air. Anthrax is 100,000 times deadlier than the deadliest chemical warfare agent. Itis the preferred biological agent because it is easy to incur in bulk and the materials are low in cost.(B.D.Hawkins,Army Times) Dr. Jose Ramero Cruz, of the World health Organization states,Becauseanthrax spores are resistant to dryness an d heat, they are comparatively easy to grind and store. U.S. officialssay that as many as 12 countries including Russia, Iraq, and North Korea, have established capabilities toproduce and load deadly anthrax spores into weapons (D.Funk, Army Times, 3-19-98). An anthrax loaded scud missile could veil 100,000 people in an urban area according to a 1993 study, Proliferationof Weapons of luck Destruction Assessing the Risks, (J. Erlich, Army Times, 9-8-97). No country isknown to have released the biological agent during wartime. Anthrax has the potential to cover largeareas of the battlefield. It is not known what branch of service, front line, or rear area troops would be atgreater risks. Defense Secretary William Cohen stated, Anthrax is the poor mans atomic bomb (D.