Anthrax1 is a naturally occurring disease of plant eating animals （goats， sheep， cattle， etc.） caused by the anthrax bacillus2. It is an illness which has been recognized since antiquity3. Anthrax was common in essentially all areas where livestock are raised. Intensive livestock immunization4 programs have greatly reduced the occurrence of the disease among both animals and humans in much of the world， however， outbreaks occurred during the mid-1990's in Haiti and the former Soviet Union.

　　Anthrax bacteria5 are named for the Greek word for coal， anthrakis， because they cause coal-black lesions6 when they infect the skin. Anthrax spores7 can remain viable for several decades under suitable environmental conditions； thus， absence of cases does not equate to absence of risk. Humans can contract anthrax in three ways： through cuts or breaks in the skin resulting from contact with an infected animal， from breathing anthrax spores and from eating infected meat.

　　One day in September， 2001， a 7-month-old son of an ABC producer in Manhattan spent time at the network offices. He developed8 a rash9， and was hospitalized10 with an unknown ailment11 soon after the visit. He was later diagnosed with cutaneous12 anthrax. This was the beginning of the anthrax scare created by ter rorists throughout the USA and the rest of the world.

　　The forced closure of Capitol Hill， the building that is home to both houses of the US Congress， has confirmed perhaps the worst fears of US officials： that their country now faces a bioterrorist attack. In all， 44 cases of anthrax attacks have been detected so far， including one death. The majority of cases in the US have surfaced13 at institutions of influence or prominence. Apart from the mail sent to the senators， letters laced with the bacteria were sent to the offices of the ABC and NBC television networks and The New York Times. Meanwhile， police in Japan， Canada， Europe， Latin America， Africa and Australia have also been investigating suspicious substances either sent through the mail or left at public places——one case of anthrax contamination14 has surfaced outside the US， in Kenya.

　　In response to the new threat， US Attorney General John Ashcroft， has been more circumspect15 in his reaction， saying that the possibility of other groups using the current tense climate to initiate their own terror campaign could not be ruled out16.

　　Authorities in various countries， especially America， have done well to proceed with extreme caution， emphasizing that there should be little cause for panic， not least because most of the cases have turned out to be false alarms or hoaxes17. The fact that the disease is not contagious18 and that authorities have now begun cracking down on19 anyone trying to play a practical joke should also help contain the scare.

　　Several countries have begun handling mail more carefully and suspicious packages are being reported to law enforcement authorities. Medical authorities are also stocking up on antibiotics20 that can be used to treat anthrax. Faced with the possibility of a chemical or biological attack， governments will have to walk a very thin line between taking steps to effectively contain the threat and preventing mass panic. Care should also be taken to avoid making too many presumptions as to the motives and forces behind this new scary phenomenon.

　　炭疽热是一种由炭疽杆菌引起的在食草动物（山羊、绵羊、牛等牲畜）中传播的自然疾病。这种疾病自古就被人们所认识。炭疽热在家畜饲养地广泛存在。家畜免疫计划的深入推广，使该病在世界大多数地区人畜中的发病率大大降低。但是，20世纪90年代中期，在海地和前苏联地区曾爆发过炭疽热疫情。

　　炭疽细菌的词源是希腊单词（anthrakis）——煤，因为它们感染皮肤后，导致皮肤损坏，变成炭黑色。在适当环境下，炭疽孢子可以存活数十年，所以，没有病例并不等于说没有危险。人类可以通过三种渠道感染此病：皮肤的伤口接触了受感染的动物，吸入炭疽孢子，以及食用了受感染的肉类。

　　2001年9月的一天，ABC广播公司在曼哈顿的一个制作人的7个月大的儿子，在其公司办公室呆了一些时间，很快便染上了疱疹，并被认为得了一种不明疾病而住院治疗。随后他被诊断患了皮肤性炭疽热。这便是恐怖分子制造的席卷美国和全球的炭疽热恐慌的开始。

　　美国参众两院的办公地点国会山已被强制关闭。这也许可证实美国官方的极度恐惧：他们的国家正面临一场生物恐怖分子的攻击。迄今为止，总共已发现了44 起炭疽袭击事件，其中一人死亡。美国国内大多数袭击事件，都发生在有影响或者名声显赫的机构。除了寄给参议员的邮件外，掺入细菌的信件还被寄往ABC、全国广播公司电视网以及《纽约时报》的办公室。同时，日本、加拿大、欧洲、拉丁美洲、非洲和澳大利亚的警方也一直在调查邮件中以及遗弃在公共场所的可疑物质。一起炭疽污染案已经在美国以外的肯尼亚发生。 医.学教育网整理

　　对于这种新的威胁，美国司法部长约翰·阿什克罗夫特反应较为谨慎，声称不排除其他恐怖团体借当前紧张的形势进行恐怖活动的可能。

　　各国当局，特别是美国，已经开始极其小心地行事，强调指出大可不必惊恐万状，因为多数病例实际上是误报或者是恶作剧。同时，炭疽热不会传染的事实以及当局开始严惩恶作剧制造者的行动，也有助于缓解人们的恐慌。

　　有些国家已经开始更加仔细地检查邮件，可疑的包裹正在被报告给执法当局。医疗部门也在收集用于治疗炭疽热的抗菌素。面对一场可能发动的化学或生物袭击，各国政府不得不艰难地行进，既要采取有效措施控制威胁，又要防止民众发生恐慌。此外，对这场新的恐慌现象后面的动机和势力，也应注意不要作出过多的臆断。