Bioterrorism Week articles from March 2003

Bioterrorism Week archives from March 2003

Size changes of Bacillus spores could lead to simpler, faster anthrax detector.
March 3, 2003... 2003 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The spores of a microbe closely related to anthrax swell with increasing humidity - a physical change that might allow quick and cheap detection of Bacillus spores like anthrax, according to physicists...

Group forms standards panel as coordination body for private, public sectors.
March 3, 2003... 2003 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The American National Standards Institute (ANSI), a private nonprofit organization that administers and coordinates the U.S. voluntary standardization and conformity assessment systems, has announced...

High-density storage of nuclear waste heightens terrorism risks.
March 3, 2003... 2003 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A space-saving method for storing spent nuclear fuel has dramatically heightened the risk of a catastrophic radiation release in the event of a terrorist attack, researchers warn. Terrorists...

UPMC creates new terrorism response and information center for physicians.(University of Pittsburgh Medical Center)
March 3, 2003... 2003 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- In an effort to meet the challenges presented by potential bioterror attacks in western Pennsylvania, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) has expanded its MedCall service by creating the...

Consortium will study biological network principles to apply to computers.
March 3, 2003... 2003 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Dr. Animesh Ray, associate professor, Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences (KGI), has successfully led a consortium of researchers to win a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to model...

Fallout from nuclear tests killed 11,000, CDC concludes.
March 3, 2003... 2003 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A draft report that estimated 11,000 people died from cancers related to nuclear testing during the Cold War was well done and should be published, the U.S. National Research Council says. The...

After anthrax, states point to "known problem" in bioterror war: their labs.
March 3, 2003... 2003 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Months after the 2001 anthrax attacks, a major problem in the war against bioterror still has not been resolved: the ability of state labs to electronically communicate with the U.S. Centers for Disease...

OHSU researchers study vaccination protection over time.(Oregon Health and Science University)
March 3, 2003... 2003 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) researchers are studying the effectiveness of the smallpox vaccine in patients who received inoculations decades ago compared with those vaccinated more...

Poll finds 54% of Americans would take vaccination.
March 3, 2003... 2003 MAR 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Michaele Tharett represents the majority view when she said she would probably get smallpox vaccinations for herself and her child if the vaccine were to become available. More than half of U.S....

Miniature biochip system detects aerosolized Bacillus globigii spores.
March 10, 2003... 2003 MAR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists have developed a miniature biochip system that can detect aerosolized Bacillus globigii spores. "The feasibility of using a novel detection scheme for the...

Forensics - bringing bacteria into the courtroom.
March 10, 2003... 2003 MAR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- If bioterrorists are ever brought to trial, the evidence against them will depend on the painstaking work of a detective in a lab coat. But will it be worth the effort? Scientists at the...

Biological agents' stable-isotope fingerprints identify biochemical weapons.
March 10, 2003... 2003 MAR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Stable-isotope fingerprints of biological agents can be used as forensic tools in cases of biochemical attack, say Oak Ridge National Laboratory chemists. "Naturally occurring stable isotopes of...

Compounds effective against food-borne pathogen.
March 10, 2003... 2003 MAR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Antex Biologics, Inc., (ANX), through its AntexPharma subsidiary, continues to explore the potential effectiveness of its novel anti-infective compounds in preventing and destroying pathogenic bacteria...

Additional funding allocated to develop Hemopure for military.
March 10, 2003... 2003 MAR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Biopure Corporation (BPUR) announced that it will receive approximately $4 million in additional Congressional funding to conduct clinical trials of Hemopure [hemoglobin glutamer - 250 (bovine), or...

Iraq reportedly sought information from Finland.
March 10, 2003... 2003 MAR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The Iraqi Embassy in Helsinki sought information about anthrax from the foreign ministry in October, Finnish media have reported. The query - reportedly lodged about a month before the return of...

Researcher: Innocuous anthrax from Colorado used in 1993 cult attack in Tokyo.
March 10, 2003... 2003 MAR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A Japanese cult attacked Tokyo in 1993 with an innocuous, readily available strain of anthrax sold by a Colorado animal vaccine company, an Arizona researcher says. The anthrax was used by the Aum...

Life sciences publishers take steps to address bioterrorist potential.
March 10, 2003... 2003 MAR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- "The scientific community is beginning to come together to establish norms for information communication in the age of bioterrorism," Dr. Ronald Atlas, president of the American Society for...

"Low-tech" HazMat Smart Strip seen saving lives.
March 10, 2003... 2003 MAR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A $15 strip of vinyl and paper that changes colors when exposed to nerve agents, cyanide, and other chemicals may protect police, firefighters, and others who rush unprotected into the heart of a...

MicroTest wins government contract to assist in vaccine manufacturing.
March 10, 2003... 2003 MAR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- MicroTest Laboratories (MTL) announced that it has received a $1.22 million contract to provide aseptic manufacturing support for the production of a series of recombinant vaccines against botulinum...

Immunity from old vaccinations may linger.
March 10, 2003... 2003 MAR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Preliminary research shows people vaccinated against smallpox decades ago could still have a surprising amount of immunity. Oregon Health & Science University researcher Mark Slifka and his lab...

Poland to purchase more than 1 million doses of vaccine.
March 10, 2003... 2003 MAR 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Poland will soon acquire more than 1 million doses of smallpox vaccine as a part of the nation's preparations against potential terrorist threats, the prime minister said. Leszek Miller, who,...

WWII discovery may counter bioterrorists.(BAL antidote)
March 17, 2003... 2003 MAR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A compound developed by British scientists early in World War II as a treatment against chemical weapons has value against today's threat of bioterrorism, according to Indiana University School of...

UF expert: U.S. can't stop terrorism aimed at agriculture.
March 17, 2003... 2003 MAR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Even with the U.S. in a heightened state of awareness about potential terrorism, a University of Florida (UF) expert said the United States can't protect its farms, crops, and cattle from biological...

Bioterrorism threat expands role of Maryland pharmacists.
March 17, 2003... 2003 MAR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- In response to the potential threat of a bioterrorist attack, the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy is teaching pharmacists how to respond to emergency situations. Over the past 6 months,...

Doctors too busy to spot a case?(smallpox)
March 17, 2003... 2003 MAR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Public health authorities in the U.S. are too busy vaccinating people against smallpox to watch for an actual outbreak. Yet if terrorists ever did release the virus, spotting the disease early would...

Simulations show health workers, not public, should obtain smallpox vaccinations.
March 17, 2003... 2003 MAR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS, senior medical writer - A simulation of various scenarios involving terrorist attacks using smallpox virus indicated that immunization of healthcare workers is likely to be...

Southern Research Institute names new program leaders.(Brief Article)
March 17, 2003... 2003 MAR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Southern Research Institute named three new leaders in its homeland security and infectious disease research division, continuing to expand its research staff and capabilities in this area. ...

Agency helps, supports military blood needs.(American Red Cross )
March 17, 2003... 2003 MAR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The American Red Cross has signed an agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense's (DoD) Armed Services Blood Program Office (ASBPO) for supplemental supply of blood products in the event that its...

Home security kit should include general immune stimulant.
March 17, 2003... 2003 MAR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- In recent days government officials have recommended that each American home put together a "survival kit" to be used in the event of a widespread terrorist attack. Specific intelligence...

U.S. government requests meeting to discuss BioShield products.(Brief Article)
March 17, 2003... 2003 MAR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- International BioChemical Industries, Inc., (IBCI) announced that a federal government agency has requested an urgent meeting with the firm to discuss the BioShield line of products in the war on...

Professor in investigation reportedly carried samples on planes.(bacteria)
March 17, 2003... 2003 MAR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The Texas Tech University researcher accused of lying to the FBI about missing vials of plague bacteria repeatedly carried live samples of the germ aboard commercial airliners, a newspaper reported....

Poll: Majority of physicians oppose smallpox vaccinations.(Brief Article)
March 17, 2003... 2003 MAR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- As the smallpox vaccination debate heats up over such issues as who should be vaccinated, the safety of the vaccine, and associated liability concerns, a study conducted by ePocrates, a handheld...

Congress boosts Southern bioterrorism project.
March 17, 2003... 2003 MAR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Here's a congressional hint for Southeastern colleges competing for research grants to study biological threats: Stop competing and start cooperating. Congress seemed to send that message in...

Health care workers turning down vaccine.
March 17, 2003... 2003 MAR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Despite President Bush's recommendation, hospitals and health care workers are turning down the smallpox vaccine, worried about the inoculation's side effects and unconvinced that the threat of a...

Vaccinations come to halt in Oklahoma.(smallpox)
March 17, 2003... 2003 MAR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Oklahoma's smallpox vaccination program has stalled because health care workers concerned about side effects are refusing to take the inoculation. The state has vaccinated fewer than 100 health...

Should cell culture smallpox vaccine be offered to general population?
March 17, 2003... 2003 MAR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The new cell culture smallpox vaccine should be offered to the general population, some researchers say, others say no. According to researchers in the United States, reporting in Reviews in...

Disease detective on alert for biological attack.
March 17, 2003... 2003 MAR 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Seth Levine's pager is on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. He even sleeps with it next to his bed. A disease detective on the medical front lines of the war against terrorism, Levine is alert for a...

ACP-ASIM recommends limited number of first responders be vaccinated.(Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices; American Society of Internal Medicine)
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A limited number of first responders should be vaccinated against smallpox, as recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices...

"Population Health Observatory" to conduct regional bioterrorism monitoring.
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The University at Buffalo (UB) is establishing one of the first local health surveillance systems in the United States, which aims to do for the eight counties comprising Western New York what state...

The real threat of biowarfare.
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Richard Hyer, NewsRx correspondent - Mike Wallace of "60 Minutes" was interviewing Dr. David Franz, and they were chatting about a weekly newsmagazine's announcement that the public was under no...

Diamond film may enable critical new sensors for bioterror.
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- In this time of the chronic threat of terrorism and the possibility of war with an adversary who may be armed with biological weapons, high on the wish list of security agencies and battlefield...

Lessons learned from West Nile virus and anthrax will help fight bioterrorism.
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The lessons gained from West Nile virus and anthrax will help fight bioterrorism. "Hospital emergency departments (EDs) and ambulatory clinics may be the first to recognize illness related to a...

Sierra Pacific Research discovers new anthrax-killing agent.
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Sierra Pacific Research Co., a chemical research company specializing in nanosilicate crystallization technology, announced preliminary lab results indicating its patent-pending spray-on solution of...

Expression and assembly of a fully active antibody in algae is achieved.
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Expression and assembly of a fully active antibody in algae is achieved. "Although combinatorial antibody libraries have solved the problem of access to large immunological repertoires, efficient...

Researchers developing 'sentinel plants' to warn of bioterrorism.
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- As concerns grow over the threat of bioterrorism and weapons of mass destruction, researchers are working on an early warning system - the figurative canary in the mineshaft - that could be as...

Chemical bioterrorism, mold, and more to descend on Dallas in May.(American Industrial Hygiene conference)(Brief Article)
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- It is a scene rapidly becoming familiar: HazMat-suited workers sifting through debris, cleaning up chemical spills, testing buildings for anthrax or dangerous molds. Industrial hygienists (IHs)...

First responders use Hand Sense to stop biological agents from entering skin.(bioterrorism)
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Firefighters and emergency response personnel attending the Firehouse World Exposition & Conference in San Diego participated in demonstrations of Hand Sense, an Israeli-made protective cream that...

Researchers study the marketing of nuclear fear.(Brief Article)
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers study the marketing of nuclear issues. According to recent research from the United States, "This article tries to determine the political payoffs of marketing nuclear fear. Three...

CDC releases smallpox information for clinicians.(Centers for Disease Control)
March 24, 2003... 2003 MAR 24 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has begun mailing smallpox information packets to 3.5 million clinicians nationwide as part of the agency's established plan to educate medical...

Combination therapy improves survival.(anthrax)(Brief Article)
March 31, 2003... 2003 MAR 31 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Treating anthrax patients with a combination of antibiotics and antibodies could greatly improve their likelihood of survival, said researchers at the American Society for Microbiology's Biodefense...

DNA fingerprint techniques may help identify bioterror agents.
March 31, 2003... 2003 MAR 31 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A University of Ulster researcher has pioneered new analytical techniques that could save thousands of lives in the event of a bioterrorist attack. Dr. Colm Lowery, from the School of Biological...

Some hand cleansing methods appear effective in removing spores.(anthrax)
March 31, 2003... 2003 MAR 31 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Washing hands under running water with soap can be effective in reducing the amount of possible anthrax spore contamination on hands, compared to using a waterless rub containing ethyl alcohol,...

Mouse model provides clues about effects.(chemical weapons)(Brief Article)
March 31, 2003... 2003 MAR 31 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Compounds used as chemical warfare agents induce neurological damage by hampering the action of a specific enzyme, according to a new study. Organophosphates, which are used in pesticides and nerve...

Biotech firm plans to test vaccine on humans by year's end.(anthrax )
March 31, 2003... 2003 MAR 31 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A San Diego biotechnology firm says it hopes to begin human testing of its experimental anthrax vaccine by year's end. Several companies and government researchers are racing to create a better...

Safer vaccine possible using spinach.(anthrax)
March 31, 2003... 2003 MAR 31 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University have developed a strategy for making a safer anthrax vaccine, enlisting the help of spinach plants to manufacture a key component. They reported their...

Vaporized hydrogen peroxide may be best method of decontamination.
March 31, 2003... 2003 MAR 31 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Steris Corp.'s subsidiary, Strategic Technology Enterprises, Inc., presented an overview of its proprietary Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide (VHP) technology as a safer and more environmentally friendly...

New bioterror regulations could disrupt food imports, legal group claims.
March 31, 2003... 2003 MAR 31 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A new set of regulations proposed in February by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) aimed at combating bioterrorism could pose significant risks and penalties for domestic and foreign food...