Workers Exposed to Anthrax Shun Vaccine

[Guest guest]

Source: Washington Post [edited]

<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11026-2002Jan7.html>

Workers Exposed to Anthrax Shun Vaccine

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Only 152 people of more than 5100 exposed to deadly anthrax bacteria in the

attacks last fall have accepted the federal government's offer to take an

anthrax vaccine on an experimental basis, federal health officials reported

yesterday. As a group, congressional staffers were far more inclined to get

vaccinated, while employees of the Brentwood postal station -- where 2

workers died of pulmonary anthrax and 2 others became ill with the disease

-- overwhelmingly rejected the offer.

As experts continued to debate the federal government's handling of the

recent anthrax attacks, the CDC was moving forward with another

controversial treatment. Health officials said they are stockpiling protein

taken from the blood of vaccinated soldiers in case another attack occurs.

Researchers believe the protein, called immune globulin, could neutralize

the deadly toxin produced by the anthrax bacterium and have asked for

permission to test the theory.

[byline: Ceci Connolly]