New, simple anthrax antidote discovered

A new, simple, and easily manufactured antidote for anthrax has
apparently been discovered, according to the University of Michigan’s
News and Information Services.

In tests, even very low concentrations killed 90 percent of virulent
strains of anthrax spores in a culture dish. Mice, injected with
B.cereus spores, a close relative to anthrax, but less dangerous for
laboratory testing, had an 80 percent recovery rate. The spores cause
large and spreading skin lesions similar to anthrax. Tests to simulate
inhaled anthrax spores were also promising because the product, BCTP,
has no toxic effects on nasal or lung membranes. The medicine also
works on a wide variety of other bacteria and viruses including ebola,
another deadly threat, and influenza. It is made of soybean oil,
triton-X detergent and a phosphate solvent.

Anthrax is one of the deadliest bacteria on earth. In its spore form
it is almost indestructible and easily transported. Secretary of
Defense William Cohen has repeatedly warned of its potential use by
terrorists against American cities, warning that millions could die from
small amounts dispersed in the air. Others warn of retaliation against
Americans from various of Washington’s bombing victims, arguing that the
threat is a potential consequence of cruise missile diplomacy. Still
others fear home-grown terrorists using it. Funding for bio-terrorism
defense has increased from $91 million in 1998 to an expected $334
million for 2000.

The Defense Department’s Advanced Research Project Agency is funding
tests for various new antidotes. Common anthrax can be treated with
simple antibiotics, such as Doxyxyline used for acne, provided it is
diagnosed and treated early. However, new strains resistant to common
antibiotics have been developed overseas, according to James R. Baker,
director of the research study. Dr. Baker is director of the Center for
Biologic Nanotechnology at the University of Michigan Medical School.
The promising antidote, BCTP, looks like skim milk and animals thrive on
drinking it. Details about the discovery were published in the Journal
of Civil Defense (May-June 1999) of the American Civil Defense
Association and in Science
in June 1999. Tests are continuing at the
Army’s Fort Dietrich chemical warfare facilities.

The new product easily breaks down the anthrax spores’ protein shell,
something previously very difficult to do. “It appears that the oil acts
as a nutrient that tricks the spores to start producing cell membranes
which can then be disrupted,” says Dr. Baker. Spores of bacteria are so
tough that they are known to survive hundreds of years lying dormant.
Dr. Baker, in the Science report, says the product is best suited for
external use.

Current vaccination defenses against anthrax are quite
unsatisfactory, according to Dr. Jane Orient, director of Doctors for
Disaster Preparedness. In another
study, Biological Weapons and Vaccines, also in the Journal of Civil
Defense issue, she quotes a 1994 Staff Report of the Congressional
Committee on Veterans Affairs as saying, “the vaccine’s safety,
particularly when given to thousands of soldiers in conjunction with
other vaccines, is not well established.” The vaccine was licensed in
1970. Animal studies have shown survival rates as low as 4 percent and
as high as 100 percent after anthrax exposure.

Dr. Orient quotes Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine which
states, “The current vaccines are impure and chemically complex, elicit
only slow-onset protective immunity, provide incomplete protection, and
cause significant adverse reactions.” One interpretation of the Gulf
War Syndrome is that it came from the wide mix of vaccines,
insecticides, insect repellents, insect bites, and anticholinesterases
given to the troops. French troops who received little of the vast mix
given to American and English troops have had no cases of Gulf War
Syndrome.

“Complicating the assessment,” she writes, “and contributing to
veterans’ mistrust of Washington, is poor record-keeping about chemical
exposures and vaccines. There are no adequate records of recipients of
special immunizations not in general use, e.g anthrax and botulinum.”
Also, she reports, pertussis vaccine may have been added to soldiers’
vaccines to speed up the effectiveness of anthrax vaccine. It can
induce immunity in seven weeks instead of 32 weeks time with simple
anthrax vaccine. But the anthrax-pertussis combination has caused
severe loss of weight in animal testing.

A cheap, easily produced and stored antidote for anthrax could vastly
ease the fears in many American cities and in the U.S. military where
many personnel fear taking the current vaccine.

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Jon Basil Utley is the Robert A. Taft Fellow in Constitutional and
International Studies at the Ludwig von Mises Institute. He also edits
the the Against Bombing website.