Anthrax

In 1979 the city of Sverdlovsk in Russia's Ural Mountains was struck by an anthrax epidemic. With a team of doctors and researchers, Jeanne Guillemin traveled to Russia in 1992, to determine the cause and extent of the epidemic. This text presents a first-hand account of the team's investigations.

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In April of 1979 the city of Sverdlovsk in Russia's Ural Mountains was struck by a frightening anthrax epidemic. Official documents reported 64 human deaths resulting from the ingestion of tainted meat sold on the black market, but rumour told a different story, and lack of documentation left unresolved questions. In this investigation of the incident, Jeanne Guillemin unravels the mystery of what really happened during that tragic event in Sverdlovsk. Anthrax is a virulent and deadly disease. Anthrax bacteria can remain in soil for as long as 70 years, then eventually can pass from grazing animals to humans who ingest them. They can also spread through inhalation of airborne microscopic spores or those buried in soil, wool, or hides. Although natural outbreaks still occur, they are rare. Contemporary concern is riveted more on anthrax as a biological weapon. Along with a team of doctors and researchers, Jeanne Guillemin travelled to Russia in 1992 to determine the cause and extent of the epidemic. Her narrative transforms a case of epidemiological investigation into a politically charged mystery.
She creates a sense of immediacy and drama with her first-hand accounts of the team's investigations - analysis of pathology photos and slides, meetings with political officials, and talks with attending doctors - and by revealing her emotions as she conducts interviews, visits sites, and interacts with those suspected of clouding the truth.