Editing Anthrax (section)

==== Anthrax bioterrorism ====
In theory, anthrax spores can be cultivated with minimal special equipment and a first-year collegiate [[microbiology|microbiological]] education.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://news.virginia.edu/content/uva-researchers-find-anthrax-can-grow-and-reproduce-soil |access-date = 1 October 2013 |title = U.Va. Researchers Find Anthrax Can Grow and Reproduce in Soil |date = 17 October 2012 | vauthors = Barney J |work = U. Va. Health System |publisher = University of Virginia site |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121021063057/http://news.virginia.edu/content/uva-researchers-find-anthrax-can-grow-and-reproduce-soil |archive-date = 21 October 2012 |df = dmy-all}}</ref> To make large amounts of an [[aerosol]] form of anthrax suitable for biological warfare requires extensive practical knowledge, training, and highly advanced equipment.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/1590859.stm |access-date=16 April 2016 |title=Anthrax as a biological weapon |date=10 October 2001 |publisher=BBC News |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160505140938/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/1590859.stm |archive-date=5 May 2016 }}</ref>

Concentrated anthrax spores were used for bioterrorism in the [[2001 anthrax attacks]] in the United States, delivered by mailing postal letters containing the spores.<ref>{{Cite book| vauthors = Cole LA |title=The Anthrax Letters: A Bioterrorism Expert Investigates the Attacks That Shocked America – Case Closed?|publisher=SkyhorsePublishing|year=2009|isbn=978-1-60239-715-6|url=https://archive.org/details/anthraxlettersbi0000cole|url-access=registration}}</ref> The letters were sent to several news media offices and two Democratic senators: [[Tom Daschle]] of South Dakota and [[Patrick Leahy]] of Vermont. As a result, 22 were infected and five died.<ref name="Pimental04"/> Only a few grams of material were used in these attacks and in August 2008, the US Department of Justice announced they believed that [[Bruce Edwards Ivins|Bruce Ivins]], a senior biodefense researcher employed by the United States government, was responsible.<ref>{{cite news | vauthors = Bohn K | title = U.S. officials declare researcher is anthrax killer | publisher=CNN | date = 6 August 2008 | url = http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/08/06/anthrax.case/index.html | access-date =7 August 2008| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080808213014/http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/08/06/anthrax.case/index.html| archive-date= 8 August 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref> These events also spawned many [[anthrax hoaxes]].

Due to these events, the US Postal Service installed [[Autonomous Detection System|biohazard detection systems]] at its major distribution centers to actively scan for anthrax being transported through the mail.<ref>{{cite web |title = Cepheid, Northrop Grumman Enter into Agreement for the Purchase of Anthrax Test Cartridges |publisher = Security Products |date = 16 August 2007 |url = http://secprodonline.com/articles/2007/08/16/cepheid-northrop-grumman.aspx |access-date = 26 March 2009 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110716031354/http://secprodonline.com/articles/2007/08/16/cepheid-northrop-grumman.aspx |archive-date = 16 July 2011 |df = dmy-all}}</ref> As of 2020, no positive alerts by these systems have occurred.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://about.usps.com/news/state-releases/sc/2013/FAQ-BDS.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://about.usps.com/news/state-releases/sc/2013/FAQ-BDS.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|title=USPS BDS FAQ}}</ref>