In World War I, the German army attempted to use anthrax to poison animals and animal feed in several countries; however, their efforts were not successful. From 1932 to 1945, Japanese troops occupying China experimented with anthrax and other biological weapons, and it is estimated that 10,000 prisoners may have died as a result. During World War II, the British military tested anthrax delivery systems on an island off the Scottish Coast. The U.S. military also worked on developing anthrax bioweapons and filled more than 5,000 bombs with the substance for use against Germany.
Development of bioweapons continued in the 1950s and 60s; however, concern over their potential use began growing. In 1969, President Nixon ended the bioweapons program through an executive order. This order also called for the destruction of all bioweapons and a commitment by the U.S. to refrain from using toxic or biological weapons. In 1972, over 100 countries signed a treaty that prohibited the development, stockpiling, and use of biological weapons.
Despite signing the treaty in 1972, the Soviet Union continued research on bioweapons. In 1979, a large anthrax outbreak occurred in Sverdlovsk (now Ekaterinburg, Russia). Soviet officials claimed that the outbreak was related to anthrax-contaminated animals sold on the black market; however, in 1992, Russian officials admitted that the outbreak occurred due to an accident at a bioweapons factory. A clogged air filter was removed but not replaced, and this incident allowed for the release of anthrax. Soviet Officials reported that 64 of the 96 affected individuals died from gastrointestinal anthrax.
One article published in the medical literature suggested that the Russians had developed a genetically engineered strain of anthrax. During the Gulf War in the 1990s, there were fears that Iraq might have this genetically engineered anthrax strain that would make the vaccinated U.S. troops vulnerable. However, there has been no public confirmation that Iraq or any other country outside of Russia has developed a genetically engineered, weaponized strain of anthrax that can be successfully deployed in the form of a bioterrorism weapon to harm U.S. citizens.
In July 1993, an attempted anthrax attack occurred in Japan by members of a religious organization. This attack, however, was not confirmed at the time since there were no reports of anthrax-associated illnesses during the days in question. Confirmation that the liquid suspension aerosolized from the rooftop of a building in Tokyo contained anthrax spores did not occur until November 1999, when the one remaining sample was sent to a lab in Arizona for identification. This lab confirmed the presence of anthrax with a genotype found to be identical to the strain used in the anthrax vaccine targeting animals in Japan.
In 2001, a bioterrorism attack caused 22 individuals to develop anthrax (11 inhalation and 11 cutaneous) after envelopes containing anthrax spores were mailed to various U.S. government officials and news media outlets. Twenty of the 22 cases were linked to handling mail items, and five people died as a result.
Genetic testing on the anthrax-contaminated letters confirmed the Ames strain variant of anthrax, developed during experimental research originating at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease (USAMRIID) at Fort Detrick, Maryland.
Reportedly, the Ames strain of anthrax was provided to other labs doing anthrax research, including Porton Down, a British military lab; Louisiana State University; Northern Arizona University; as well as Dugway Proving Ground Military Research facility in Utah, where anthrax spores were reportedly processed into the powder form that can be inhaled easily. The fact that the genetically engineered and weaponized anthrax strain used in the anthrax-contaminated mail could be traced back to a U.S. military research facility suggested internal lab security issues that needed to be addressed.
Federal health officials and military anthrax experts urged Capitol Hill staffers and thousands of U.S. Postal Service employees in Washington D.C, New York, and New Jersey, possibly exposed to mail contaminated with the experimental strain of anthrax, to receive anthrax vaccines.
The civilians were urged to get the shots and complete a two-month course of antibiotics. Health officials maintained that anyone exposed to the experimental anthrax bacteria could harbor anthrax spores in their lungs and become ill once they stop using the antibiotics.
There hasn’t been a successful delivery of weaponized inhalation anthrax to any large population through a bomb, missile, crop duster, or any other means. If the anthrax bacteria is used as a biological weapon to kill large numbers of people, it will most likely be used in the deadly aerosol form so that large numbers of people will inhale it. This will mean that the anthrax strain and size of spores will have to be designed explicitly for weapons purposes and will require an effective delivery system.
IMPORTANT NOTE: NVIC “Quick Facts” is not a substitute for becoming fully informed about anthrax and the anthrax vaccine. NVIC recommends consumers read comprehensive information NVIC provides on anthrax, the vaccine manufacturer product information inserts, and speak with one or more trusted health care professionals before making a vaccination decision for yourself or your child.
