From: owner-travel-advisories Subject: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Anthrax Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998 16:49:11 GMT Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die Xref: world wstd.travel.advisories:1651 Path: world!bzs Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Message-ID: <199803181153_MC2-3736-61C5@compuserve.com> Content-Disposition: inline Precedence: bulk Sender: "U.S. Department of State" <76702.1202@compuserve.com> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Mime-Version: 1.0 Distribution: wstd Approved: usenet@world.std.com Lines: 53 STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Anthrax Vaccine ============================================================ U.S. Department of State Washington, D.C. FACT SHEET ANTHRAX VACCINE The Department of Defense announced March 3 its decision to immunize its military personnel in the Persian Gulf region with the anthrax vaccine. The anthrax vaccine is produced exclusively by the Michigan Biological Products Institute under contract to the Defense Department. Virtually all vaccine produced is under Defense Department contract for primarily military use and a small number of other official uses. The Anthrax vaccine is an FDA-approved product. While the vaccine is safe and proven effective in protecting against the Anthrax bacillus, it has not yet been tested or approved for use by persons under 18 or over 65 years old, and women who are pregnant. Historically, anthrax has not been a commonly contracted disease, hence the lack of testing of the vaccine for the three ineligible groups. For those who can safely be inoculated, the anthrax vaccine provides effective protection 6 weeks after initiating the vaccine (2 weeks after the third inoculation). Full protection is obtained after the six-shot series given over 18 months. Based on laboratory testing, medical experts at the Department of Defense believe that treatment with both antibiotics and vaccine following exposure to aerosolized anthrax is as effective as immunizing persons with vaccine prior to an attack. It is essential, however, that an individual not previously vaccinated receive antibiotics within 24-48 hours of exposure, and simultaneously commence the vaccine regime, continuing the double treatment until the vaccination becomes effective, i.e., for 2 weeks after the third inoculation or a minimum of 42 days after the start of treatment. 3/16/98 ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- The "travel-advisories@stolaf.edu" mailing list is the official Internet and BITNET distribution point for the U.S. State Department Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets. To unsubscribe, send a message containing the word "unsubscribe" to: travel-advisories-request@stolaf.edu Archives of past "travel-advisories" postings are available at the URL: "http://www.stolaf.edu/network/travel-advisories.html" or via Gopher: gopher.stolaf.edu, Internet Resources/US-State-Department-Travel-Advisories