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U.S. troops in Gulf 1st to get anthrax vaccine
A soldier gets an anthrax vaccination Move prompted by fears of possible attack
March 3, 1998
Web posted at: 2:04 p.m. EST (1904 GMT)WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The 36,000 U.S. military personnel in the Persian Gulf will begin receiving vaccinations this month against the potentially lethal germ-warfare agent anthrax, the Pentagon announced Tuesday.
The decision to vaccinate all 1.4 million military men and women was made in December, but the program wasn't expected to begin until this summer. But given the crisis in Iraq, officials decided to move up the vaccination campaign.
"Immunization of our troops is a prudent action," Defense Secretary William Cohen said in a statement.
Gen. Anthony Zinni, commander of U.S. troops in the Gulf, requested the move in light of the ongoing threat of a possible attack with the biological agent, which Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is known to have developed and put on weapons, Pentagon officials said.
However, Pentagon planners think it's unlikely that Hussein would resort to using anthrax weapons, because it would prove that critics who warned of the possibility were right.
Gulf War troops To protect against anthrax, six inoculations are given over 18 months and must be followed by an annual booster to provide full protection. However, some protection sets in after just a few weeks.
Cohen and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Hugh Shelton already have received their initial shots, the Pentagon statement said.
Anthrax, an infectious disease that normally affects animals, especially cattle and sheep, is considered the most lethal of biological agents by the U.S. government. Inhaling the anthrax spores can cause death within a week unless the victim has been vaccinated.
Correspondent Jamie McIntyre and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Newsmaker profiles:
- Saddam Hussein - Iraqi President
- General Henry Hugh Shelton - Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
Related stories:
- Inhaled anthrax can be 'devastating' - February 19, 1998
- The case for diplomacy: Damage, destruction and doubts - February 17, 1998
- All U.S. troops to get anthrax vaccine - December 15, 1997
- Anthrax: An agent of doom - December 15, 1997
Related sites:
Note: Pages will open in a new browser window
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- News About Chemical and Biological Agents and Threats
- GulfLINK - Gulf War Illnesses Home Page
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