This fall marks an "anniversary" of sorts -- it has been approximately one year since someone or some group of people mailed anthrax-laced letters to news media corporations and members of Congress. The anthrax spores contained in these letters killed five people, and made some 20 others sick.
The prospect of another, more insidious, form of terrorism spread panic among an American population already jittery from the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Though the anthrax scare has long since subsided, the identity of the perpetrators remains unknown.
The criminal investigation of last fall's bioterrorism activity, headed by the FBI under the project name "Amerithrax," has not led to any arrests despite a $2.5 million reward for tips or evidence leading to a conviction.
Aside from conducting the now stalled criminal investigation, the government also plays a larger role in protecting the populace in the event of a bioterrorist attack.
According to the Center for Disease Control's Web site, the agency has changed the way it operates following last year's attacks.
"Terrorism response capacity is being integrated into existing infrastructures, further strengthening the foundation of public health," the Web site reads.
However, the aftermath of anthrax attacks brought media scrutiny and pressure on federal agencies such as the FDA to approve drugs and other counter measures too quickly, Biology Prof. Elizabeth Machunis-Masuoka said.
"The media hype surrounding the anthrax cases mushroomed, bringing undue pressure on the FDA, which in turn said things it perhaps shouldn't have at the time, and gave its approval to drugs in a shorter time period," Machunis-Masuoka said.
"The media needs to step back, and instead of promoting hype, focus on providing useful information to the public that is intended to promote understanding, not panic. Otherwise, it is doing a huge disservice to the population."
The bacterium B. anthracis -- the scientific name for anthrax -- makes a good weapon because of the ease with which it is transmitted according to Biology Prof. Ronald Baurle.
"It's used as a bioterror agent because of its ability to resist environmental stressors," Bauerle said. "Anthrax is a 'free-living' organism in the soil, and among animals, allowing it to stay disseminated in the environment."
"Anthrax can be transmitted via contact with the skin (cutaneous anthrax) and inhalation, and of the two inhalation is more dangerous," he added.
Anthrax, like other pathogenic bacteria, produces toxins once it begins to replicate inside the body.In anthrax's case, lethal edema toxins are produced, eventually leading to septicimia, or shock and death in severe cases.
are effective against the Fortunately, antibiotics and vaccines pathogen, provided it is treated early.
"The problem is, early anthrax symptoms mimic flu-like conditions, so its possible not to realize what's happening until it's too late to administer treatment," Bauerle said.
"However, people need to remember that the number of cases of anthrax are miniscule, year by year, and that terrorist activities of the type of the anthrax letters are intended more to inspire fear than to result in the loss of life."
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