From Our 2012 Archives Vulnerability to Anthrax Varies Widely:
Study Latest Infectious Disease News MONDAY, Feb. 6 (HealthDay
News) -- People's susceptibility to anthrax toxin is determined
by their genes and can vary greatly among individuals, a new
study says. Anthrax is an infectious disease widely regarded as
a potential bioterrorism weapon. Stanford University School of
Medicine researchers analyzed immune cells from 234 people and
found that the cells of three of the people were virtually
insensitive to anthrax toxin, while the cells of others were
hundreds of times more sensitive than those of other people. The
findings could help lead to new treatments and could also have
important implications for U.S. national security, according to
a university news release. For example, people known to be more
resistant could act as first-line responders in an anthrax
bioterrorism attack. The study appears online Feb. 6 in the
journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "This
research offers an import