WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A Florida man diagnosed with anthrax is an "isolated case," the top United States health official said Thursday, and his illness is not linked to any threats of bioterrorism.

JFK Medical Center nursing supervisor Kelly Lyons told CNN Friday morning that the 63-year-old man from Lantana, Florida, remains in critical condition.

"People need to understand that our public health system is on heightened alert, so we may have more public reports of what appears to be isolated cases," Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson said. "We will be responding very aggressively. But I want to point out, once again, that this is an isolated case and it's not contagious."

In New York, which has been on edge after terrorist attacks September 11 leveled the World Trade Center, Mayor Rudy Giuliani attempted to allay fears that New Yorkers might be at risk.

"There is no evidence, at this point, of any anthrax in New York City or in this area," he told reporters after touring Ground Zero with Mexico's President Vicente Fox.

"At this point, New Yorkers should not be concerned about this."


The FBI is working with health officials in Florida and at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to locate the source of the man's illness, but one spokesman said, "There is absolutely no indication this is tied in any way to terrorism."

Florida Lt. Gov. Frank Brogan echoed that conclusion.

The man fell ill after a recent trip to North Carolina and checked himself into a hospital Tuesday, according to Brogan.

"He's critically ill but hopefully he'll respond to treatment," Dr. Larry Bush, one of the doctors treating the man at JFK Medical Center in Atlantis, Florida, said Thursday.

Bush said the man came to the hospital with the symptoms associated with meningitis, but a spinal tap showed he was suffering from anthrax.

"There is not reason to believe at this juncture that this is anything other than a manifestation of a rare and obviously very serious illness that has found its way into the life of one individual," he said.

Anthrax -- considered to be a potential agent for use in biological warfare -- is caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis and most commonly occurs in cattle, sheep, goats and other herbivores. Humans can become infected when they are exposed to infected animals or tissue from infected animals.

The man appears to be suffering from inhalation anthrax, which causes severe respiratory problems and is very often fatal, according to the CDC. Anthrax can also be contracted through a cut in the skin or by eating meat from infected animals.

Thompson said the FBI and the CDC are checking out restaurants and other places the man may have visited in North Carolina in the hope of finding out what caused his illness.

"We do know that he drank water out of a stream when he was traveling to North Carolina last week," said Thompson. "But as far as wool or other things, it's entirely possible. We haven't got all of the investigations done and we're doing a tremendous extensive job of investigating everything."

A Florida state epidemiologist said he did not believe the man contracted the disease during his trip because the incubation period for anthrax is between six and 45 days which would not have included the man's trip.

The last case of anthrax reported in Florida was in 1974. The most recent case in the nation was "within the last year" in Texas, Thompson said.
www.cnn.com (http://www.cnn.com)

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Manu Narayan

He died today.

It probably was an isolated case, he was a big outdoorsman and probably contracted it while outdoorsing.

You know, I want to add something here.
I was listening to Art Bell last night, they had this guest wich just proceeded to bullshit his way about preparing for bio and chemical attacks. He stated to take vitamins and echanachia and crap like that.
He also warned against antibiotics and stated they will destroy your immune system.
The guest host didnt question it or anything.
I tried to call in but couldnt get through.
He is FULL OF SHIT and misleading a lot of people.

Cipro or Pennicillin are what you take in the event of an outbreak, early on. They do not destroy your immune system, they destroy bacteria, yes some friendly ones too but it doesnt matter.
Cipro or Pennicillin. Get some now (by prescription), dont bother with the crap that that Bullshit artist spoke of because you'll be dead.
Forutunately, I have some Cipro from when I got sick earlier this summer and its on my shelf.

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War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.
--John Stuart Mill--

Originally posted by Powerboss:
he was a big outdoorsman and probably contracted it while outdoorsing.

Bill, I gotta tell ya, that cracked me up. http://discussanything.com/Ubb/biggrin.gif



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-Curt

"If I speak at one constant volume,
At one constant pitch,
At one constant rhythym,
Right into your ear,
You still won't hear."

fiveofanatic.com (http://www.fiveofanatic.com/)

I have been listening to Art Bell lately - and he's come across very jackassish.

Did they say if it was known that anthrax grew there?

I read that it grows naturally somewhere here in Texas... west Texas, I think.

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"Ultimately all hominids came from Africa, and therefore everyone in America should simply check the box next to 'African-American.' My maternal grandmother was German and my maternal grandfather was Greek. The next time I fill out one of those forms I am going to check 'Other' and write in the truth about my racial and cultural heritage: 'African-Greek-German-American.' And proud of it."

-- Michael Shermer

Anthrax is all over. It is common in animals and apparently can run in streams.
He was recently drinking out of a stream.

Or, maybe while this guy was outdoorsing somewhere in Carolina, he tried makin out with a deer or something.

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War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.
--John Stuart Mill--

Did ya guys hear? ANOTHER Florida case fo anthrax.

Is it common to have this many cases? Are we just giving them more attention, or are cases fo anthrax this rare?

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Manu Narayan

Originally posted by Manu:
Did ya guys hear? ANOTHER Florida case fo anthrax.

Is it common to have this many cases? Are we just giving them more attention, or are cases fo anthrax this rare?



No. This type of Anthrax (pulminary, caught by inhaling the Anthraz spore), has not been seen in the US since 1976. I find it odd that both cases involve employees of the SUN tabloid...

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Formerly known as 74Mav
(Mav dropped the no. 2 connecting rod and I'm pissed)

[This message has been edited by Brian (edited 10-08-2001).]

I did not realize BOTH were employees there...

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Manu Narayan

That is what the news reports this morning were saying...

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Formerly known as 74Mav
(Mav dropped the no. 2 connecting rod and I'm pissed)

October 9, 2001 -- An anthrax scare gripped the nation yesterday as a third employee of a supermarket tabloid was said to be exposed - and the FBI probed frightening reports of an odd e-mail from a departing intern about "a little present" that he left behind.
The FBI announced it had taken over the investigation as a possible criminal - or terrorist - attack.

Three employees of American Media, which publishes The National Enquirer and other supermarket tabloids out of Boca Raton, Fla., told The Post that the FBI wants to question a summer intern who left the company recently after sending out an e-mail to employees saying thank you and "I left you all a little present."

A top executive at the company said the intern was believed to be from Sudan and was on an exchange program at a local college.

At the time, no one thought anything of the intern's e-mail, but in the wake of the anthrax scare, employees are now concerned, they said.

The FBI is also investigating a strangely worded letter received by the company that contained a "soapy, powdery substance" in the shape of a Star of David, Newsweek has reported. The letter was handled by two of the people who contracted anthrax, the magazine said.

All employees and people who were in the building in the last 60 days were told to take antibiotics for the next two months to fight off infection.

They were also asked for all their computer passwords so investigators could probe their hard drives.

One employee, 63-year-old photo editor Bob Stevens, died last week of inhalation anthrax, while a second, identified by sources as mailroom worker Ernesto Blanco, was found to have a small amount of anthrax in his nose.

David Pecker, the president of American Media, told The Post that a woman librarian at the office building already being treated for pneumonia tested positive for anthrax exposure, in addition to the other two cases.

Florida health officials said late yesterday that only two people had come into contact with the bacteria.

Health experts say it is extremely unlikely that such a transmission - two men working in separate areas in an office building - could be accidental.

"You have to really, really reach to come up with a scenario where this is unintentional," said Professor Thomas Johnson, the director of the Division of Respiratory Therapy at Long Island University.

The building where the staffers worked - which houses The Globe, The Sun, The Star, The National Enquirer, and Weekly World News - was ordered sealed yesterday.

Attorney General John Ashcroft said the Boca Raton case "could become a clear criminal investigation" as the feds dig deeper.

Officials cautioned they have no evidence to suggest a criminal or terrorist act - but they aren't taking any chances.

"We don't have enough information to know whether this could be related to terrorism or not," Ashcroft said.

Officials did not consider foul play in Stevens' death until a test swab on the nostrils of another employee, presumably Blanco, turned up the anthrax bacteria.

Officials said the mailroom worker has not contracted any symptoms of the disease - a very important and encouraging sign.

Hundreds of frightened workers lined up at a Palm Beach County health facility to get tested for the bacteria and receive antibiotics.

Part of their fear stems from news accounts that terror ringleader Mohamed Atta took flying lessons about a mile from Stevens' Lantana, Fla., home. Atta and some of the other hijackers also lived in Florida cities not far from American Media.

"To tell you the truth, I'm terrified," said Globe reporter Felicia Levine.

"We're in an area surrounded by the terrorists, and this is a coincidence? The name of our company is American Media. I'm scared."

Health officials tried to reassure the company and the community, saying there was no public health threat.

"The risk is low," said Dr. John Agwunobi, Florida secretary of health.

Pecker said all the publications had shifted to temporary locations in a rush to put out their next editions, which went to press yesterday.

Employees were also asked to fill out questionnaires explaining how often they came into contact with the photo or mailroom areas, and if they've noticed anything unusual around the building since Sept. 11.

Meanwhile, in New York, Mayor Giuliani said there's no reason to fear an outbreak - but that area hospitals are on the lookout for possible symptoms.

"Given the events of the last four weeks, we now monitor that even more carefully," he said.


This is very scary. My husband said no nation except third world nations have used bio/chem weapons since WW1. Saddam used them on his own people numerous times and I heard one infogirl state she had been to Afganistan and been around a compound where reportedly they were testing bio weapons, but she wasn't allowed in. She stated it was surrounded by dead animals though. I heard her on one of the major networks....can't rememeber which.


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Proverbs 31

Uh oh. I have recently partaked of water from a stream. So what are the symptoms?

Dude86,

Here is a link to the CDC page on Anthrax. Hope this helps. I wouldn't recommend drinking from streams unless you know there are no cows upstream anyway!! http://discussanything.com/Ubb/wink.gif

Becky
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/Agent/Anthrax/Anthrax.asp

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Proverbs 31

It seems like the sysmpoms are like a very bad flu. Then you die. I think you will know you have it when you die. So, that should freak you out next time you have the flu.

Yes, it seems I was wrrrrrrrr. Uh thats wrrrrrooooo. Ok, wrong damnit.

This seems to be fairly isolated though.

My pop is going to a disaster seminar specifically on Anthrax tomorrow.
I will be interested to hear what he learns.
If it is anything valuble I will share of course.

CT, I dont think its quite that bad. If caught early enough, with a good dose of antibiotics, it can be cured....but time is definetly a factor.

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War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.
--John Stuart Mill--

Originally posted by ChaoticThoughts:
It seems like the sysmpoms are like a very bad flu. Then you die. I think you will know you have it when you die. So, that should freak you out next time you have the flu.

UUUG, http://discussanything.com/Ubb/frown.gif I get 1-2 bad flues a year! Being the worry wort that I am I will prolly freak!

The problem is Bill, from what I've read, once the symptoms come on, you dont have 'much' time. And how often do we discount a flu as just that? A flu? And we let it run its course.

They now believe that the antrax strain WAS a manmade strain from a lab in iowa.

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Manu Narayan

ya, I think you have to get treatment in a couple days, after that, almost no chance. And there is a vaccine, but they dont have nearly enough.