What
should make me suspect a piece of mail?
 | It's
unexpected or from someone you don't know.
|
| It's
addressed to someone no longer at your address.
|
| It's
handwritten and has no return address or bears one that you can't confirm
is legitimate.
|
| It's
lopsided or lumpy in appearance.
|
| It's
sealed with excessive amounts of tape.
|
| It's
marked with restrictive endorsements such as "Personal" or
"Confidential."
|
| It
has excessive postage.
|
What
should I do with a suspicious piece of mail?
| Don't
handle a letter or package that you suspect is contaminated.
|
| Don't
shake it, bump it, or sniff it.
|
| Wash
your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
|
| Notify
local law enforcement authorities.
|
|
|
See
Poster of Suspicious Mail Alert by U.S.Postal
Service
|
Anthrax
is an acute infectious disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus
anthracis. Anthrax most commonly occurs in hoofed mammals and can also
infect humans.
Symptoms
of disease vary depending on how the disease was contracted, but usually occur
within 7 days after exposure. The serious forms of human anthrax are inhalation
anthrax, cutaneous anthrax, and intestinal anthrax.
Initial
symptoms of inhalation anthrax infection may resemble a common cold. After
several days, the symptoms may progress to severe breathing problems and shock.
Inhalation anthrax is often fatal.
The
intestinal disease form of anthrax may follow the consumption of contaminated
food and is characterized by an acute inflammation of the intestinal tract.
Initial signs of nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, and fever are followed by
abdominal pain, vomiting of blood, and severe diarrhea.
Direct
person-to-person spread of anthrax is extremely unlikely, if it occurs at all.
Therefore, there is no need to immunize or treat contacts of persons ill with
anthrax, such as household contacts, friends, or coworkers, unless they also
were also exposed to the same source of infection.
In
persons exposed to anthrax, infection can be prevented with antibiotic
treatment.
Early
antibiotic treatment of anthrax is essential–delay lessens chances for
survival. Anthrax usually is susceptible to penicillin, doxycycline, and
fluoroquinolones.
An
anthrax vaccine also can prevent infection. Vaccination against anthrax is not
recommended for the general public to prevent disease and is not
available.
FAQ
on Bioterrorism
MARYLAND
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE
Georges C.
Benjamin, M.D., Secretary
In the days following the terrorist attacks of September
11, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) has received questions
about bioterrorism from many Maryland citizens.
As part of its continuing program to respond to bioterrorism and other
health threats, DHMH has prepared this summary of current recommendations about
certain issues that concern the public. We
will continue our preparedness activities over the coming weeks and months.
We will also provide updated information through the DHMH website at www.dhmh.state.md.us,
and also through the public media.
We
wish to emphasize that there is no need for generalized use of prophylactic
antibiotics, particularly noting that widespread use of antiboitotics without
indications can cause resistance to them.
In particular, here are answers to several recent
questions:
Should
I be vaccinated against anthrax?
No. Routine
vaccination against anthrax is not recommended by the US Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
The existing national stockpile of anthrax vaccine is limited, and will
be directed for use in the event of an acute need.
Currently, and for the last several years, anthrax
vaccination has been recommended only for the following people, who are more
likely than most of us to be exposed to anthrax:
Persons who work directly with the organism in the laboratory.
Persons who handle potentially infected animal products.
Certain military personnel deployed to areas of the world with high risk for
exposure to the organism.
Should
I be vaccinated against smallpox?
No. Routine smallpox vaccination is not recommended by the
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The existing national
stockpile of smallpox vaccine is limited, and will be directed for use as
appropriate (e.g., in controlling an outbreak).
However, there is no evidence at this time that anyone has been exposed
to smallpox.
Should
I be taking preventive antibiotics?
No. CDC or other public health authorities do not currently
recommend preventive antibiotics. If
you have any reason to believe that you might have been exposed to an infectious
disease, contact your medical care provider.
How will I know
if I need to get vaccinated or take preventive antibiotics?
Contact your health care provider.
Also, please continue to watch for announcements in the public media,
such as newspapers, radio, and television, from your local and State health
departments.
Where
can I get more information about this topic?
You can get more information about this and other
health-related topics at the Internet sites listed below:
1.
DHMH: www.dhmh.state.md.us
2.
CDC:
www.cdc.gov
From
whom can my health care provider get more information about this topic?
Your health care provider may also find the web sites
listed above useful. Also, your
health care provider can contact your local health department to get more
information about this topic, or to answer specific questions that may pertain
to you.
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