IF YOU RECEIVE AN ENVELOPE OR PACKAGE SUSPECTED TO CONTAIN ANTHRAX OR OTHER BIOLOGICAL AGENTS:

Anthrax organisms can cause skin infection, gastrointestinal infection or pulmonary infection. To do so the organism must be rubbed into abraded skin, swallowed, or inhaled as a fine, aerosolized mist. It does not leap into one’s body. All forms of disease are generally treatable with antibiotics.

For anthrax to be effective as a covert agent it must be aerosolized into particles between 0.4 and 2/10,000ths of an inch., smaller than a red blood cell. This is difficult to do, and requires a great deal of technical skill and special equipment. If these small particles are inhaled, life-threatening lung infection can occur, but prompt recognition and treatment are effective.

Anthrax is not communicable. It cannot be transferred from one person to another.

 

1.    Place envelope in a plastic bag or glassine envelope.
2.    Wash hands with SOAP and WATER.
3.    NOTIFY the FBI, State police, and your supervisor.

1.  DO NOT clean powder up. Keep others away.
2.  WASH hands with soap and water.
3.  DO NOT brush off your clothes.
4.  NOTIFY the FBI, state police and your supervisor.
5.  REMOVE clothing and place in plastic bag, as soon as possible.
6.  SHOWER with SOAP and WATER. DO NOT use bleach or other
      disinfectant.
7.  PUT on fresh clothing.
8.  MAKE list of all people who had contact with the powder and give to
     local public health authorities. They may be instructed to watch for
     fever or other symptoms over the next couple of days.

1.    DO NOT OPEN.
2.    LEAVE it and EVACUATE the room.
3.    KEEP others from entering.
4.   NOTIFY the FBI, State police, and your supervisor.

1.    TURN OFF local fans or ventilations units in the area.
2.    LEAVE room immediately.
3.    CLOSE the door, or section off the area to prevent others from
        entering.
4.    NOTIFY the FBI, State police, and your supervisor.
5.    REMAIN on premises until responders arrive.
6.    SHUT DOWN air handling system in building, if possible.
7.    MAKE list of all people who were in the building at that time and give
       to local public health authorities. They may be instructed to watch
       for fever or other symptoms over the next couple of days.

1.    Restrictive markings such as Confidential, Personal, etc.
2.    Foreign mail, Air Mail or Special Delivery.
3.    Excessive postage
4.   Handwritten or poorly typed addresses
5.   Incorrect Titles
6.    Title, but no name
7.    Mispellings of common words
8.    Oily stains, discolorations or strange odor
9.    No return address
10.  Excessive weight, Lopsided or uneven envelope and has unusual
         amount of tape.
11.  Protruding wires or tinfoil
12.  Excessive securing material such as string or tape
13.  Have any powdery substance on the outside.
14. Are unexpected or from someone unfamiliar to you.
15.  Are addressed to someone no longer with your organization or are
       otherwise outdated.

Anthrax is an acute infectious disease caused by the gram-positive spore-forming bacterium "Bacillus antracis." This is considered as one of the most likely agents to be used during a biological attack due to its ease to produce and disperse. There are 3 forms of anthrax: Inhalational (this is the most lethal), Gastrointestinal (rare but highly fatal form that occurs after ingestion of contaminated meat), and Cutaneous (most common form manifested by a black, necrotic skin lesion).

Initial symptoms of inhalation anthrax infection resembles a common cold. After several days, there is severe breathing problems and shock.

The intestinal disease form follows after consumption of contaminated food. There is an acute inflammation of the intestinal tract. Initial signs of nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, and fever are followed by abdominal pain, vomiting of blood, and severe diarrhea.

Direct person-to person spread of anthrax is extremely unlikely. There is no need to immunize or treat contacts of persons ill with anthrax, such as household contacts, friends, or co-workers, unless they also were also exposed to the same source of infection.

Persons exposed to anthrax should receive antibiotic treatment (penicillin, doxycycline, and ciprofloxacin). Treatment should be started as soon as there is a suspicion of being exposed since any delay lessens chances for survival.

An anthrax vaccine can also prevent infection. However, it is not recommended for the general public to prevent disease and is not available.