The Journal of the American Medical Association today published detailed case studies of the two women who died of anthrax during last autumn’s attacks.  Meanwhile, a biological weapons expert said the FBI has probably already interrogated the person responsible for the anthrax attacks, according to reports.

The first JAMA case study describes Kathy Nguyen, the New York City woman who died from inhalational anthrax on Oct. 31, 2001 (see GSN, Nov. 1, 2001). The second case study describes Ottilie Lundgren, a Connecticut woman who died from inhalational anthrax on Nov. 21, 2001 (see GSN, Nov. 21, 2001).

The journal is also publishing the case study of a 7-month-old boy that contracted a serious case of cutaenous, or skin, anthrax in late September.  The boy was believed to have contracted the disease after visiting the New York offices of ABC where his mother worked and where anthrax spores were later found (see related GSN story, today).

“Despite intensive investigations, the sources of their infection may never be known,” wrote scientists from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in an editorial appearing in the same issue of the Journal.  They added that Americans are still at risk from biological weapon attacks (Denise Grady, New York Times, Feb. 20).

Last year’s anthrax cases illustrate that constant awareness is needed to ensure that any future anthrax patients receive prompt treatment, experts said.

Lundgren’s initial symptoms were so mild that she probably would not have been hospitalized if she had been younger, said Lydia Barakat, the physician who diagnosed Lundgren’s anthrax.

Somebody did suggest that Lundgren’s symptoms might have resulted from anthrax, however, “it was more like initially a joke,” Barakat said.  “I said, ‘What are the odds of this woman having anthrax?’”

“These stories teach the important lesson that anyone — active elderly persons, healthy infants and hardworking private citizens — could be infected during a bioterrorist event,” wrote the CDC’s Julie Gerberding in the Journal editorial.

Publishing the case studies helps remind medical personnel to be on alert for signs of bioterrorism, said James Adams, chief of emergency medicine at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.

“None of us wants to be the person who misses the next case of anthrax,” Adams said (Associated Press/New York Times, Feb. 20).

FBI Might Already Know Who Is Responsible

Meanwhile, the FBI probably already knows who is responsible for the anthrax attacks last fall, and might have already questioned them, Barbara Hatch Rosenberg, a microbiologist at New York State University, said Monday (see GSN, Feb. 8).

According to Rosenberg’s “government insider” contacts, the FBI has had a suspect since October and has already questioned the possible culprit more than once, Rosenberg said during a talk at Princeton University in New Jersey.  Rosenberg has authored a paper for the Federation of American Scientists that outlines her suspicions about who is responsible for the attacks, based on available evidence.

“There are a number of insiders — government insiders — who know people in the anthrax field who have a common suspect,” Rosenberg said.  “The FBI has questioned that person more than once, … so it looks as though the FBI is taking that person very seriously.”

The suspect is likely a former employee of the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick, Md., Rosenberg said.

“We can draw a likely portrait of the perpetrator as a former Fort Detrick scientist who is now working for a contractor in the Washington, D.C., area,” she said.  “He had reason to travel to Florida, New Jersey and the United Kingdom…”

Rosenberg said she is trying to encourage media coverage and attempting to put pressure on the FBI to vigorously prosecute whoever is responsible for the attacks.

“I know that there are insiders, working for the government, who know this person and who are worried that it could happen that some kind of quiet deal is made that he just disappears from view,” she said.  “This I think would be a really serious outcome that would send a message to other potential terrorists, that (they) would think they could get away with it.”

“So I hope that doesn’t happen, and that is my motivation to continue to follow this and try to encourage press coverage and pressure on the FBI to follow up and publicly prosecute the perpetrator,” Rosenberg said (Joseph Dee, Trenton Times, Feb. 19).

The FBI yesterday denied Rosenberg’s allegations that they know who is responsible and are dragging their feet on the investigation.

“The FBI is vigorously investigating the mailing of anthrax-laced letters and hoax letters,” said FBI spokeswoman Tracey Silberling.  “It is not accurate, however, that the FBI has identified a prime suspect in this case.”

“Ms. Rosenberg has made these comments before,” said FBI spokeswoman Sandra Carroll.  “She, and I’m sure many others, may have their ideas or opinions about the investigation.  But the FBI is actively and aggressively moving forward with this investigation” (John Dee, Trenton Times, Feb. 20).

Irradiated Mail Irritating You?  Use Moisturizer.

U.S Senate staff members have reported a variety of health problems after handling mail that has been irradiated to sanitize it of any biological agents, according to the Baltimore Sun (see GSN, Feb. 11). 

At first it was believed that the fumigation process used to decontaminate the Hart Senate Office Building might have caused the staff members’ illnesses (see GSN, Feb. 15).  Staff members in other office buildings that were not fumigated, however, have also reported symptoms, which has cast suspicion on the mail, the Sun reported.

The irradiated mail is perfectly safe, according to the U.S Postal Service.  Studies conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found no high levels of chemicals in any Capitol Hill building since the irradiated mail was first delivered.

The staff members’ ailments might be caused by plastic in the mail that could have melted when irradiated, federal authorities said.  The illnesses might not be from the irradiation process, but from the fumes of melted plastic, they said.

In an attempt to fix the problem, the Postal Service has begun removing plastic from envelopes, decreased the level of radiation used to sanitize the mail and now airs out letters before delivering them, according to the Sun.  Mail that has undergone this new process will begin arriving on Capitol Hill as early as this week, congressional aides said.

Other staff members’ symptoms could be the result of the flu or winter colds, investigators said.  They added that skin irritations being reported could come from the brittle irradiated mail absorbing the moisture from the hands of those who open it.  More serious complaints likely have no relations to the irradiated mail, the investigators said.

“We’re not aware of any clinical evidence that associates the irradiated mail with the symptoms that have been reported,” said Postal Service spokesman Gerry Kreinkamp.  “If (mail handlers) feel like they’ve had an adverse reaction to dry mail, use moisturizer” (Ellen Gamerman, Baltimore Sun, Feb. 20).

About Newswire  |  Contact National Journal  |  Re-Use Guidelines

HOME  |  CONTACT US  |  GET INVOLVED  |  SITE MAP

Back to top