Bruce Ivins and the 2001 Anthrax Letter Murders
On September 11, 2001, also known as 9/11, terrorists attacked the United States. Citizens were shocked, scared, and grieving. It was a time of deep paranoia and distrust. People wondered when and if the country would be attacked again. Then, in a matter of days, another act of terrorism shook the country. A number of letters containing spores of the bacteria that causes anthrax were sent to public figures and media outlets. People who had been exposed to these letters — or even letters that had only come into contact with the anthrax letters — began falling ill.
What is Anthrax?
Anthrax is a disease that is caused by the bacteria Bacillus anthracis. It typically affects herbivorous mammals but can infect any mammal including humans. Most human anthrax infections result from contact with infected animals or infected animal byproducts. There are three ways to contract the disease: through open skin, breathing in spores, or ingesting the bacteria. It does not spread from one infected human to another. However, the fatal dosage is invisible to the naked eye.
