U.S. postal anthrax scare widens

The Pentagon has admitted that more than 50 laboratories in 17 U.S. states and three foreign countries have received samples of live anthrax, instead of inert bacteria, via commercial mail over the last 10 years
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ANTHRAX DESTINATIONS

51 laboratories: Commercial companies, academic institutions and Federal labs

Sent from: U.S. Army lab, Dugway Proving Ground, Utah

WA CA AZ UT TX WI IL TN FL MA NJ NY DE DC MD VA NC
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AFFECTED STATES

Arizona (AZ), California (CA), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Illinois (IL), Maryland (MD), Massachusetts (MA), New Jersey (NJ), New York (NY), North Carolina (NC), Ohio (OH), Tennessee (TN), Texas (TX), Utah (UT), Virginia (VA), Washington (WA) and Wisconsin (WI), plus District of Columbia (DC)
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OTHER COUNTRIES AFFECTED

Canada Australia South Korea
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HOW IT IS DELIVERED

Polystyrene lid

Container lid

1ml vial In Ziploc bag and wrapped in cloth

Dry ice Keeps sample frozen

Cardboard box

Card- board box Polycarbonate container Polystyrene inner shell
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WHAT IS ANTHRAX?

Bacillus anthracis, found naturally in soil, produces dormant spores that can live in environment for years

If spores get into body (via skin cut, ingestion or inhalation), they become active

Active growing cells multiply and spread around body, producing toxins that can cause severe illness and lead to death
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Sources: The Pentagon, CDC, wire agencies

Picture: Associated Press

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