POSSIBLE PRESENCE OF BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL AGENTS

File: 950901_8cerep67_91.txt
Page: 91
Total Pages: 1
POSSIBLE PRESENCE OF BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL AGENTS 

Filename:8cerep67.91
OAAMZYUW YTIUHG 0667 0551519-MNSH--YEKDQX. 
ZNY MMNSH 
ZKZK OO DXD REK DE 

O 241300Z FEB 91 
FM 513MIBDEFWD 
TO CINCCENT//CCJ2-CM// 
CENTAF FWD 
SSO LVNWORTH//CDR CAC/BCTP// 
CDRS IO 
SOCCENT FWD//J2-LNO// 
CG I MEFMAIN 
CG I MEFREAR//G2// 
CMO 18 ABC F 
SSO I CORPS//AFZH-GCI// 
CMO III CORPS//G2// 
SSO VHFS 
USM-608 
SSO ABERDEEN//FMIB// 
SSO BRAGG//PASS TO CTOCSE// 
SSO BLISS//IASSG/ELP// 
DA IDHS//ITF/IZ// 
USM 671//USM601R// 
SSO FORSCOM//FCJ2-IC// 
USM-621 
USM-623 
USM-618 
NSACSS//A-23/G-9/G6/G642// 
CMO I CORPS 
CMO III CORPS 
DA IDHS/DAMI-FIC/DAMI-FII/DAMI-AOC// 
SSO 101 AB F 
SSO 24ID FWD 
CMO 82 ABN F 
SSO V CORPS//AETV-GBI-P// 
SSO TUSA 
USF-797 
SSO CG II MEF 
SSO 18 ABC ALT 
USM 639 FWD 
SSO IRC AMHS//INIOEE// 
SSO 8TH ID 
CMO VII CORPS F 
USM-608A 
SSO IRWIN//FMIB// 
CG I MEFMAIN 
2ND RADBN FWD 
CG 2ND MARMAIN 
SSO1STINF//G2// 
SSO ITAC 
USM-628B 
SSO1ADF 
SSO3ADF 
SSOISTINF 
SSO2DACRF 
CMO 1 CAV F 
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SSO CINCCENT//CCJ2-JIC// 
CG 3 MAWMAIN 
MAG ONEONE 
USD-1000 
DA IDHS//AIA-IPD// 
SSO 18ABC ALT//G2// 
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USF-797A 
THMT 18 ABC//G2// 
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CANFORMEINT 
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//MINIMIZE CONSIDERED// 
ARCENT G2 INTREP 67-91 AS OF:  241300Z FEB 91 
 

SUBJECT:  POSSIBLE PRESENCE OF BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL AGENTS 
 
1.     A SUSPECT POSITIVE ANTHRAX AIR SAMPLE WAS IDENTIFIED AT LOG 
BASE A, VICINITY OF SODOWIYAT ALONG TAPLINE ROAD (PS5310-PR7897). 
BOTH FIELD AND LAB TESTS WERE PERFORMED BY THE BIO-MEDICAL 
SAMPLING TEAM AS OF 232200C FEB 91.  A LARGE NUMBER OF DEAD SHEEP 
WERE ALSO NOTED IN THE AREA (EXACT NUMBER UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME). 
SUBSEQUENT SAMPLING EAST OF LOG BASE A HAS BEEN DONE AND RESULTS 
ARE NEGATIVE.  A SAMPLE HAS BEEN SENT BACK TO THE US FOR FURTHER 
ANALYSIS, AND POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION WILL REQUIRE LABORATORY 
ANALYSIS FOR 24 HOURS. 
 
2.     AT 232200C FEB 91, RECONNAISSANCE ELEMENTS OF THE 115TH MP 
CO REPORTED THAT FROM 16-21 FEB, DEAD CAMELS WERE FOUND ON MSR 
YUGO (BEGINNING 2706N04824E AND ENDING 2819N04557E) VICINITY OF 
QARYAT AL ULYA (2733N04742E) AND 25-30 DEAD GOATS AND CAMELS WERE 
FOUND ON MSR CADILLAC (BEGINNING 2609N4927E AND ENDING 
2658N04823E) VICINITY THAJ.  A NUMBER OF GREEN PLASTIC GRAIN FEED 
BAGS (2' X 3', APPROXIMATELY 100LBS EACH WITH BLUE LETTERING) WERE 
NOTED ALONG BOTH MSR'S.  THE GROUPS OF DEAD ANIMALS WERE EACH 
CLUSTERED AROUND ONE OF THESE BAGS; INDIVIDUAL DEAD ANIMALS WERE 
ALSO FOUND.  THESE BAGS ARE SIMILAR TO BAGS OF BARLEY OFF-LOADED 
AT THE PORT OF DAMMAM.  LOCAL VILLAGERS SEEMED TO PAY LITTLE 
NOTICE TO THE DEAD ANIMALS.  THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO REPORTS OF 
HUMAN INFECTION.  VETERINARY AND BIO-MEDICAL SAMPLING TEAMS HAVE 
BEEN DISPATCHED TO THE AREA TO COLLECT SAMPLES AND TO CARRY OUT 
ANALYSIS.  ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO EVIDENCE, THIS INCIDENT MAY BE 
RELATED TO THE SUSPECTED PRESENCE OF ANTHRAX NOTED IN PARAGRAPH 
ONE. 
 
3. (U)  ANTHRAX IS AN ACUTE, MALIGNANT, BACTERIAL DISEASE, USUALLY 
AFFECTING LIVESTOCK.  IN HUMANS, IT GENERALLY AFFECTS THE SKIN 
(CUTANEOUS), ALTHOUGH PULMONARY AND INTESTINAL ANTHRAX ALSO OCCUR 
TO A LESSER EXTENT.  ANTHRAX SPORES ARE EXTREMELY RESISTANT TO THE 
ENVIRONMENT AND DECONTAMINATION AND MAY REMAIN IN THE SOIL FOR 
YEARS.  ANTHRAX IS ALMOST ALWAYS TRANSMITTED TO MAN BY LOWER 
ANIMALS, ALTHOUGH SPORES  COULD BE DISPERSED AS A THICK AEROSOL OR 
IN LOW YIELD CLUSTER BOMBS.  SYMPTOMS USUALLY OCCUR TWO TO FIVE 
DAYS AFTER CONTACT AND DELAY MAY RANGE UP TO SEVEN DAYS. 
     CUTANEOUS- A LOCALIZED BOIL OR ABSCESS DEVELOPS TWO TO SIX 
DAYS AFTER CONTACT.  THIS BOIL USUALLY SPONTANEOUSLY HEALS, BUT 
MAY REQUIRE SURGICAL ATTENTION. 
     PULMONARY (INHALATION)- THE SYMPTOMS OF PNEUMONIA- SHAKING 
CHILLS, FEVER, CHEST PAIN, AND DIFFICULTY BREATHING- FOLLOWED BY * 
SHOCK, OCCUR WITHIN THREE TO FIVE DAYS.  DEATH USUALLY FOLLOWS 
SHORTLY THEREAFTER. 
     INTESTINAL- EXCEEDINGLY HARD TO DETECT, SYMPTOMS INCLUDE 
ABDOMINAL DISTRESS, FEVER, SIGNS OF INFECTION AND DEATH. 
BECAUSE HUMAN ANTHRAX IS ENDEMIC IN COUNTRIES WITH LARGE 
FREE-ROAMING HERDS OF DOMESTICATED ANIMALS, SUCH AS SAUDI ARABIA, 
ITS USE AS A WEAPON IS DIFFICULT TO DETECT.  AT THIS TIME, WE DO 
NOT KNOW WHETHER THE ANTHRAX ABOVE IS INDIGENOUS OR HAS BEEN 
INTRODUCED.  IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION IS NECESSARY FOR ALL 
PERSONNEL EXPOSED TO ANTHRAX, ESPECIALLY THOSE INHALING THE SPORES 
(AFCS-SG-ZB-CB 28 OCT 90). 
 
4. (U) POC [   (b)(6)   ]