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U.S. Response: Several Diseases Pose Threats, Surgeon General Says U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher cited several biological warfare agents as potential threats Friday at the Conference on Global Infectious Diseases and U.S. Foreign Policy, sponsored by the U.S. State Department and other agencies in Washington. Satcher said he was “very concerned” about the recent anthrax incidents, but there are other diseases that the U.S. government also considers high risks. Smallpox is a major concern, he said. Only two official supplies of smallpox exists—one at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and one in Russia—but there are concerns that some have moved into the hands of terrorists, Satcher said. Fears of terrorists using smallpox as weapon, however, should not lead to mass immunizations against the disease, Satcher said. “Is the probability of an attack worth the risk?” Satcher asked, and added that for every 4,000 people immunized, one will suffer serious side effects. “There are strategies beyond immunizing everyone,” Satcher said. “Absent the high probability of an attack, vaccines should not be used.” Other diseases that are considered threats include bubonic plague and tularemia, Satcher said. There are effective antibiotic therapies for both, according to Satcher, and tularemia is considered a low risk. He said hemorrhagic fevers, such as the Ebola virus, are more of a worry. “There is a lot of work to do,” Satcher said. “There are no bioterrorism experts.” What Can the Public Do? There are several things people can do to minimize their risk from a potential biological attack, Satcher said. They should primarily be aware and alert to any unusual occurrences, and they should also avoid high-risk mail and immediately wash their hands after opening anything that has something suspicious in it, he said. If a powder or other substance is in a piece of mail, immediately cover it, and then evacuate and close off the area, Satcher said. People also should report any suspicious symptoms to physicians. “Frontline providers must ask the right questions,” Satcher said. “Armed with information, people don’t panic because there’s something they can do.”
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