Re: BIOTERRORISM: possibly missing smallpox samples?

From: Robert J. Bradbury (bradbury@aeiveos.com)
Date: Sat Oct 20 2001 - 08:44:24 MDT


For being prepared, this is useful:

Berche P.
Trends Micribiol 9(1):15-18 (Jan 2001)
The threat of smallpox and bioterrorism

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11166237&dopt=Abstract

In particular:
> There is no antiviral treatment and a vaccine is active only if
> administered in the first four days post-exposure.

Since my Medical Microbiology textbook says the incubation period
is 12-15 days this points out the problem. By the time you start
vaccinations you probably already have a large number of dead
people on your hands.

The real need is for antibodies that would create passive immunity
and/or drugs that block the effects of the virus.

Robert



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