GMA to Pinoys on anthrax scare: Just take a bath!

If you’re not a carabao, there’s no reason to fear the anthrax bacteria which is supposedly being used by terrorists in a biological attack on the United States.

And in the remote possibility that a human in the Philippines does contract the bacteria, all he has to do is calm down and take a long bath.

No less than President Arroyo reassured the nation that anthrax — an infectious disease among cows and goats — is not new in the Philippines and can easily be cured by medication readily available in the country.

"If we get scared, we will just be capitulating to the terrorists. So let us just be aware of the things that we can do," the President said as her administration closed ranks in quelling emerging hysteria on a possible biological attack.

Mrs. Arroyo pointed out that a strain of the spore-forming Bacillus anthracis has been reported to have been found among cows and goats in Ilocos Norte and Abra provinces.

"But anthrax in the Philippines, and probably everywhere else, can be cured by antibiotics, like amoxycillin, penicillin and erythromycin, which are readily available locally," Mrs. Arroyo said.

The President said the local anthrax has been "mostly cutaneous" (skin) and is the least dangerous form of human anthrax.

"What you should do is take a shower for 15 minutes so that it will not get inside your body. It’s very difficult for it to get inside your body unless you have an open wound," she said.

Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit Jr. further explained that the strain found in the Philippines is different from the strain used in the biological attacks on the US.

"We have that on carabaos, mostly in Region I and II, but not on humans," Dayrit told the Commission on Appointments during his confirmation hearing.

Officials of the National Meat Inspection Commission (NMIC) said that while anthrax is one of 178 diseases that can be transmitted from animal to man, the strain found in northern Luzon is not the same as the one used in the biological attacks in the US.

"Definitely, the anthrax bacteria strain found here is a different strain," said NMIC veterinarian Buenaventura Navalta in Baguio City. "The occurrence here is one strain, so there is no worry."

What is anthrax?

According to an advisory from the Department of Health, anthrax is an infectious disease of warm-blooded animals caused by Bacillus anthracis , a spore-forming bacteria.

There are three forms of anthrax contracted by humans: skin, inhalation and intestinal anthrax, all of which are curable by common modern antibiotics.

Skin anthrax is the least dangerous and is the kind of anthrax found in the country. It is transmitted through contact with tissues of infected animals or their products and is characterized by itching of the exposed part followed by a vesicle which develops into a depressed black wound within two to six days.

Inhalation anthrax is potentially deadly and is caused by inhalation of the bacteria’s spores which are airborne. It is characterized by fever, malaise, mild cough or chest pain followed by severe respiratory distress within three to five days after inhalation.

Intestinal anthrax is also potentially deadly and is caused by ingestion of contaminated, undercooked meat and is characterized by severe abdominal pain.

The DOH issued the advisory amid an emerging local hysteria after several cases of anthrax infection were reported in the US and Europe, supposedly part of a biological attack by terrorists.

According to news reports, a certain strain of the anthrax bacteria, in powder form, was sent by mail to several US print and broadcast journalists and even senators.

The DOH National Epidemiology Center told The STAR that Filipinos are beginning to be concerned about a possible biological attack as shown by the growing number of people who have sent unopened letters to the DOH for analysis.

Physician Irene Grafil said the DOH-NEC has received 13 letters from alarmed Filipinos since Tuesday.

Grafil said her office is still receiving such letters and they are still waiting for clearance to open and examine the mail to check if these contain anthrax-laced powder similar to the ones reported in the US.

It was learned that such letters came from different post offices while some were sent by Filipinos who, for one reason or another, suspected them of containing anthrax powder.

Don’t be scared but be prepared

At the Subic Bay Freeport, the administration building was evacuated and eight employees were quarantined after an alarmed executive reported that she received a letter which she thought contained anthrax.

The freeport executive said she became suspicious after she noticed that international personalities, including US President George W. Bush and Nelson Mandela, were also listed as addressees.

The letter turned out to be a subscription solicitation letter from the international magazine The Economist and was meant to persuade the recipient that she should subscribe to the magazine because it had an eminent readership.

In Muntinlupa, an agitated middle-aged jeepney driver rushed to a city infirmary after he inhaled violet powder which was in an envelope that a fellow jeepney driver found in his jeep.

The envelope, which was supposedly left inside the jeep by an unidentified man, apparently belonged to a "Kemikal Enterprise" and had the word "navy blue" written on it.

City health officials, however, simply advised the jeepney driver to wash his face with soap and water to relieve the itchiness of his nose and the irritation of his eyes. The man is all right and no longer had the "symptoms."

Even the House of Representatives has taken "precautionary measures" and has asked the DOH for assistance in detecting the anthrax "virus."

"We just want to be sure," said House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II. "Baka umabot din dito yung virus (The virus might reach us)."

Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman Cresencio Maralit agreed that it would be better to be safe than sorry.

"Wala namang masama kung magiging handa tayo (There is nothing wrong if we are prepared)," Maralit said.

At the same time, however, Maralit admitted that the PNP does not have the capability to deal with a possible biological attack, no matter how remote it may be.

The DOH, for its part, advised the public to inspect mail carefully before opening and if a person receives a letter with whitish powder, he should seal the letter in a plastic bag and label it "Infected Material" before bringing it to the DOH. - With reports from Aurea Calica, Jess Diaz, Christina Mendez, Artemio Dumlao, Jen Velarmino