Did Bush administration attack peace movement with military grade biological bacteria?

The Free Press - ^ | Oct 5, 2005 | Bob Fitrakis

[Rocky]

They are poisoning our precious bodily fluids.

[Prov3456]

You gotta love ‘em and their great faith in believing in the statistically improbable occurrence of events

Like how ALL things just happened to, coincidentally, come together in just the right way and time to create the universe. No God, no ID, just coincidence....

The inconsistency of liberals is amazing to behold!

[pillut48]

I know I am reaching with this idea...BUT...did they ever entertain the notion that perhaps (yes, I'm reaching) one of those so-called normal 'mainstream', law-abiding, tax-paying, anti-war, pro-troops, anti-Bush, anti-Rove, anti-America, rally marching *%($)(# MIGHT have brought this substance
(among many, I am sooooo sure) *with* them?? Maybe there's some real bad people out there who saw this as an opportunity to hurt a lot of people in one place? Terrorists have no loyalties to anyone but themselves, no matter how much the moonbats praise them.

[oldleft]

This is from the CDC website. I made the changes to have it contradict the story in every way. No thanks needed, Uncle Karl.

"Q. What is tularemia?
A. Tularemia, also known as “rabbit fever,” is a disease caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. Tularemia is typically found in animals, especially rodents, rabbits, and hares. Tularemia is usually a rural disease and has been reported in all U.S. states except Hawaii.

Q. How do people become infected with tularemia?
A. Typically, people become infected through the bite of infected insects (most commonly, ticks and deerflies), by handling infected sick or dead animals, by eating or drinking contaminated food or water, or by inhaling airborne bacteria.

Q. Does tularemia occur naturally in the United States?
A. Yes. Tularemia is a widespread disease in animals. About 200 human cases of tularemia are reported each year in the United States. Most cases occur in the south-central and western states. Nearly all cases occur in rural areas, and are caused by the bites of ticks and biting flies or from handling infected rodents, rabbits, or hares. Cases also resulted from inhaling airborne bacteria and from laboratory accidents.

Q. What are the signs and symptoms of tularemia?
A. The signs and symptoms people develop depend on how they are exposed to tularemia. Possible symptoms include skin ulcers, swollen and painful lymph glands, inflamed eyes, sore throat, mouth sores, diarrhea or pneumonia. If the bacteria are inhaled, symptoms can include abrupt onset of fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, joint pain, dry cough, and progressive weakness. People with pneumonia can develop chest pain, difficulty breathing, bloody sputum, and respiratory failure. Tularemia can be fatal if the person is not treated with appropriate antibiotics.

Q. Why are we concerned about tularemia being used as a bioweapon?
A. Francisella tularensis is highly infectious. A small number of bacteria (10-50 organisms) can cause disease. If Francisella tularensis were used as a bioweapon, the bacteria would likely be made airborne so they could be inhaled. People who inhale the bacteria can experience severe respiratory illness, including life-threatening pneumonia and systemic infection, if they are not treated.

Q. Can someone become infected with the tularemia bacteria from another person?
A. People have not been known to transmit the infection to others, so infected persons do not need to be isolated.

Q. How quickly would someone become sick if he or she were exposed to tularemia bacteria?
A. The incubation period (the time from being exposed to becoming ill) for tularemia is typically 3 to 5 days, but can range from 1 to 14 days.

Q. What should someone do if he or she suspects exposure to tularemia bacteria?
A. If you suspect you were exposed to tularemia bacteria, see a doctor quickly. Treatment with antibiotics for a period of 10-14 days or more after exposure may be recommended. If you are given antibiotics, it is important to take them according to the instructions you receive. All of the medication you are given must be taken.

Local and state health departments should be notified immediately so an investigation and infection control activities can begin.

Q. How is tularemia diagnosed?
A. When a person has symptoms that appear related to tularemia, the healthcare worker collects specimens, such as blood or sputum, for testing in a diagnostic or reference laboratory. Laboratory test results for tularemia may be presumptive or confirmatory. Presumptive (preliminary) identification may take less than 2 hours, but confirmatory testing will take more time, often 24 to 48 hours or longer depending on the methods that need to be used.

Depending on the circumstances, a person may be given treatment based on symptoms before the laboratory results are returned.

Q. Can tularemia be effectively treated with antibiotics?
A. Yes. Early antibiotic treatment is recommended whenever it is likely a person was exposed to tularemia or has been diagnosed as being infected with tularemia. Several types of antibiotics have been effective in treating tularemia infections. The tetracycline class (such as doxycycline) or fluoroquinolone class (such as ciprofloxacin) of antibiotics are taken orally. Streptomycin or gentamicin are also effective against tularemia, and are given by injection into a muscle or vein. Health officials will test the bacteria in the early stages of the response to determine which antibiotics will be most effective.

Q. How long can Francisella tularensis exist in the environment?
A. Francisella tularensis can remain alive for weeks in water and soil.

Q. Is there a vaccine available for tularemia?
A. A vaccine for tularemia was used in the past to protect laboratory workers, but it is not currently available."

[Alia]

The left cannot exist as a "movement" without hysteria and fearmongering. And, you cannot speak sanely with people continually hysterical over their supposed "being discriminated against" -- even if it has never happened to them, him, her, personally.

Superbowl Sunday Myth: If ONE WOMAN IS BEING BEATEN, ALL WOMEN ARE BEATEN EVERYWHERE

Ipso, the "pubbies" are out to get us. Extrapolate point A, mix it with a little of X, and you get.. Point C! New age math, for the uninitiated.. "no facts required.. hysteria guaranteed. That's the marketing package of the left.

blech.

[kjam22]

Sheesh.... Bush doesn't even have the guts to nominate a known conservative with a conservative record... Like I'm sure he's going to step out and bio-infect his opponents.

[afnamvet]

[twigs]

Who actually believes this B.S.??

Too many people. Check out DU.

[headsonpikes]

IMHO, the tularemia is probably hosted by back-to-the-land hippies who snare and eat variable hares, among which tularemia is endemic.

I found this out the hard way 35 years ago. Check the rabbit's liver before eating! ;^)

[Wiser now]

Aren't these the same people who just spent the month of August in a dsitch in Texas? They are probably exhaling the bacteria.
Duh.

[KosmicKitty]

Art Bell, paging Mr. Art Bell

Please pick up the white courtesy phone!!

[Polyxene]

"The ante war types don't like to bathe."

AND they are all probably carrying around various and sundry viruses (sexual and other) in their rotting carcasses to infect a city. YUCK! Better fill up a cropduster with Lysol and spray the whole city of DC!

[absolootezer0]

wasn't there an anti war counter protest going on at the same time? couldn't they have been the intended target?

i'll see your anti war conspiracy and raise it.

[Technogeeb]

Excuse me, but how do we know it's not the same folks who sent anthrax thru the mails?

Because he's stuck in an Iraqi jail awaiting trial for all those Kurds he killed.

As for some random disease showing up after a leftist protest, there's a very accurate reason why they are often called "dirty hippies".

[Shery]

Some people will stop at nothing when it comes to slander. They probably did it themselves...come to think of it. Release jkust enough to make everyone sort of sick and not too sick. Then call in the politicos to start making false accusations. Don't think the dems are up to it? Hunh!

[R. Scott]

Puzzling? Indeed. Biohazard sensors detected tularemia bacteria at the mall on Saturday, September 24.

I wonder if the mall had pet stores with rabbits for sale.

According to JAMA , rabbit fever wouldn’t be a very good weapon -
“A weapon using airborne tularemia would likely result 3 to 5 days later in an outbreak of acute, undifferentiated febrile illness with incipient pneumonia, pleuritis, and hilar lymphadenopathy. Specific epidemiological, clinical, and microbiological findings should lead to early suspicion of intentional tularemia in an alert health system; laboratory confirmation of agent could be delayed. Without treatment, the clinical course could progress to respiratory failure, shock, and death. Prompt treatment with streptomycin, gentamicin, doxycycline, or ciprofloxacin is recommended. Prophylactic use of doxycycline or ciprofloxacin may be useful in the early postexposure period."

[Sensei Ern]

Is it possible that some leftist whacko may have intended to use it on the FReepers that held the counter-rally?

[KarlInOhio]

The Potomac was too cold and small to implement Karl Rove's plan to whip up Hurricane Vince in the Tidal Basin. Also the Reflecting Pools on the Mall could only provide a two foot storm surge - enough to give the protesters a quick rinse but not much more.

[R. Scott]

Who actually believes this B.S.??

The ignorant?

[elc]

That wasn't tularemia poisoning people. It was the hippies' petouli oil.