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Anthrax Awareness and Precautions

Background

Bacillus Anthracis are single-cell organisms that cause anthrax. A bacterial disease, anthrax occurs in domesticated and wild animals, including goats, sheep, cattle, horses and deer.

The skin form of the disease is contracted by handling contaminated hair, wool, hides, flesh, blood or excreta of infected animals and from manufactured products such as bone meal. Infection is introduced through scratches or abrasions of the skin, wounds, inhalation of spores, eating insufficiently cooked infected meat or from flies. The spores are very stable and may remain viable for many years in soil and water. They will resist sunlight for varying periods. Anthrax is not spread from one person to another person.

For more information on Anthrax, please refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) FAQ's on Anthrax: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/anthrax_g.htm#currissue

Responding to Potential Exposures

Some facilities in communities around the country have received Anthrax threat letters. Most were empty envelopes; some have contained powdery substances. Anthrax organisms can cause infection in the skin, gastrointestinal system, or the lungs. To do, so the organism must be rubbed into abraded skin, swallowed, or inhaled as a fine, aerosolized mist. Disease can be prevented after exposure to the anthrax spores by early treatment with the appropriate antibiotics

For anthrax to be effective as a covert agent, it must be aerosolized into very small particles. 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.

Extra precautions are being taken in mailrooms across the country to guard against this hazard. The purpose of the below guidelines is to establish procedures for handling such potential exposure incidents.

The first step is to be on the lookout for suspicious parcels. According to the United States Postal Service (USPS) and the FBI, Some typical characteristics of suspicious parcels are:

• Parcels that are unexpected or from someone unfamiliar to you.
• Parcels with handwritten or poorly typed addresses.
• Parcels with excessive postage.
• Parcels with misspelled common words.
• Parcels with excessive security material, such as masking tape or string.
• Parcels that are addressed to someone no longer with your organization or have incorrect titles or have a title, but no name.
• Parcels that have no return address, or have one that can't be verified as legitimate.
• Parcels that are of unusual or excessive weight given their size, or are lopsided or oddly shaped or have an uneven envelope.
• Parcels that are marked with restrictive endorsements, such as "Personal" or "Confidential."
• Parcels with protruding wires or aluminum foil, strange odors, oily stains, or discolorations.
• Parcels that show a city or state in the postmark that doesn't match the return address.
• Parcels with a ticking sound

Additionally, the USPS has a downloadable poster "Suspicious Mail Alert" on their website to help educate your employees on suspicious packages:
http://www.usps.com/news/2001/press/serviceupdates.htm

If you or your employees do encounter a suspicious mailpiece or package:

• Do not try to open the mailpiece. Do not shake or empty the contents of any suspicious envelope or package. If an envelope has powder and the powder spills out, DO NOT try to clean up the powder. Cover the spilled contents immediately with anything (e.g., clothing, paper, trash can, etc.) and do not remove this cover.
• Isolate the mailpiece. Place the envelope or package in a plastic bag or some other type of container to prevent leakage of contents. If you do not have any container, then cover the envelope or package with anything (e.g., clothing, paper, trash can, etc.) and do not remove this cover.
• Evacuate the immediate area. Leave the room and close the door, or section off the area to prevent others from entering.
• Wash your hands with soap and water to prevent spreading any powder to your face.
• Contact your local law enforcement agency. If you are at work, then report the incident to local police, and notify your building security official or an available supervisor.
• List all people who were in the room or area when this suspicious letter or package was recognized. Give this list to both the local public health authorities and law enforcement officials for follow-up investigations and advice.

The FBI has prepared a useful PDF offering instructions on responding to a suspicious package.
This is accessible at their web site, http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel01/mail3.pdf

If you may have had contact with an unknown powdery substance:

• Remove heavily contaminated clothing as soon as possible and place in a plastic bag, or some other container that can be sealed. This clothing bag should be given to the emergency responders for proper handling.
• Shower with soap and water as soon as possible. Do not use bleach or other disinfectant on your skin.
• If possible, list all people who were in the room or area, especially those who had actual contact with the powder. Give this list to both the local public health authorities so that proper instructions can be given for medical follow-up, and to law enforcement officials for further investigation.

For additional information on other Biological and Chemical Agents refer to Lab Safety Supply EZ Facts Document #227:
http://www.labsafety.com/refinfo/ezfacts/ezf227.htm

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