Tularemia Outbreak in Russia-443 Cases-Origins Unknown

The Morning Paper-Special Edition | 09/01/05 | vanity

[genefromjersey]

Tularemia Outbreak in Russia –443 Cases-Origins Unknown

The ProMed site carried a report this morning concerning a Tularemia outbreak in Russia –updated to 08/29/05.

The ProMed heading says 334 cases have been reported, but simple arithmetic shows the number to be 443. Breakdown follows:

135 Moscow (Shatursky District) 99 Nizhny Novgorod 83 Vladimir region ( Gorohovetsky) 67 Ryazan 28 Voronezh 29 Sverdlosk region 2 Yekaterinburg

443 Total

Laboratory confirmation has been obtained in 128 of the cases,so far.

(This is important, because influenza can cause similar symptoms , and there has been extensive migration of infected/infectious wildfowl into much of the region covered by the Tularemia outbreak.)

A link to the ProMed site is posted here :

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/askus/f?p=2400:1001:8395684244204579691::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,30252

This is a link to the outbreak map: http://en.retal.ru/images/map4.gif

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Russian health authorities are claiming ALL of the victims were bitten by insects, or bathed in open reservoirs prior to infection.

Insect bites and contaminated food/water are known vectors of this disease,as is the handling of infected animal carcasses; however, the unprecedented number of cases – many of which have occurred in the vicinity of known bioweapons labs-suggests this outbreak has “other-than-natural” causes : whether it “leaked” from carelessly-handled containers, or whether it was deliberately transported to several areas.

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Tularemia – a bacterial disease – is one of many diseases researched for biowarfare use in the former Soviet Union. Ken Alibek (Kantjan Alibekov), former head of Russia’s Vector program, and author of the book “Biohazard” , has indicated bioweapons research was ongoing in 1997-despite international agreements to the contrary.

One of the areas of research Allibek reported was “microencapsulization” of bioagents : a step which made them much more “durable” for battlefield use.

The material used in the 2001 Anthrax attacks on American soil may have been made using just such a “microencapsulization” process , in which finely powdered material is kept from clumping by the addition of a product called “nanoglass”.

The nanoglass – acting somewhat like an electrical insulator – surrounds the particles : protecting them from the destructive effects of sunlight, and causing them to “seethe” : so vigorously, that simple removal of a cap from a container will cause the product to flow upwards from the container.

(The seething is caused by built-in electrical charges called Van der Waals Forces , which attract fine particles to one another. Because of the nanoglass barrier - which, under an electron microscope, would appear like tiny round “birdshot” surrounding a medicine ball - the product moves constantly in “search” of an un-insulated surface on which it may clump.)

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[vetvetdoug]

Last article I read the number was 150+ cases...enough to be leery but well within the reach of a natural occurrence. Now we got this number. Ok, its a biowarfare breach now. Somebody let the cat out of the bag.

[RockinRight]

But who did it...

[SueRae]

This is not good. If accurate, I hope the Russians don't wait until this becomes a bio-Chernobyl. What is the antidote?(if any)

[prairiebreeze]

hmmm....fyi ping

[CaptSkip]

Lethality?

[Rodney King]

I'll bet the manufacturer dumped it somewhere and some unsuspecting person came across it.

[genefromjersey]

Treatable with standard anti-biotics. The Russians made it resistant,but would know exactly what works.

[genefromjersey]

Don't think so. The spread is quite extreme-geographically, so I'm thinking deliberate.

[vetvetdoug]

Quite lethal if undiagnosed and treated. Standard doxycycline and fluroquinolones will treat it effectively. If there was an antibiotic resistant strain bioengineered then there would have to be a lethality factor deleted so engineering the F. tularensis for resistance would be a trade off. Tularemia is lethal enough without dickering with the DNA.

[brothers4thID]

mark for later

[bored at work]

_{bookmark for when this is taken out of breaking.}

[CaptSkip]

Thanks Dr. Doug!

[Peach]

The material used in the 2001 Anthrax attacks on American soil may have been made using just such a “microencapsulization” process , in which finely powdered material is kept from clumping by the addition of a product called “nanoglass”.

I don't like how many people have been affected by this.

[Thud]

Looks more and more like a biowar Chernobyl.

[genefromjersey]

For what it's worth, this is the second of 2 responses from "Russian journalists" - 2 days ago- in response to my initial article. From : óÁÍÁÒÁ. òÅÄÁËÔÏÒ Sent : Monday, August 29, 2005 10:23 AM Subject : publication about outbreaks of Tularemia in Russia Dear Sir, your publication about outbreaks of Tularemia in Russia was very actual for us, journalists from Chapayevsk. The ecologic situation of our city is really very bad, so our aim is to proove it and make our politicionals to stop factories that produce bioweapons. We ask you to help us. So please tell us more aboutšsituation in our town. We have found some information about you and your theory. But yet have not found youršphoto.šWe've prepared a material for our newspaper. Please send your photo and information about our region. We are waiting for your answer. We all hope you can help us.š å-mail: samred@province.ru This was 2 days ago-at which time, the toll was about 152. I sort of danced them around,thinking they might be FSB people using a journalistic cover; but I did send them links today to the new totals.