继“9.11”事件之后,2001年10月美国又发生了不明身份的人向传媒和政要投寄带有粉末状炭疽孢子的信件,致使16人感染,其中5人已死亡。现已查明炭疽孢子系来自美国国内某实验室。炭疽是一种牛羊所患的传染病,但是接触感染的牛羊制品或羊毛的工人也会感染。该病有皮肤型和吸入型两种。前者使感染者皮肤发生小的溃疡,后者则会导致出血、呼吸困难、中毒性休克,乃至死亡。 Following the Sept.11 attacks, in October 2001, another unidentified person in the United States sent letters to the mass media and dignitaries containing powdery anthrax spores, infecting 16 people, of whom 5 were dead. Anthrax spores have been identified from a laboratory in the United States. Anthrax is a contagious disease in cattle and sheep, but workers exposed to infected cattle and sheep products or wool can also infect. The disease has two types of skin and inhalation. The former causes small ulcers in the skin of infected persons, the latter causes bleeding, breathing difficulties, toxic shock, and even death.