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CNN Sunday Morning

Doxycycline Added to Treatments Used Against Anthrax

Aired October 28, 2001 - 09:17   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: We have all become very familiar with anthrax, in addition to the word Cipro. But there are other treatments out there that battle this threat that our country is facing, and CNN medical correspondent Rhonda Rowland joins us now from Washington with details on that.

Hi Rhonda.

RHONDA ROWLAND, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning Kyra.

I want to make it clear that here in Washington they are not abandoning the drug Cipro; but health officials have said that anyone now who needs to be put on preventative antibiotics will be receiving doxycycline, and this includes the Supreme Court justices.

They're making this change because of CDC recommendations that show that doxycycline and Cipro are equally effective in preventing anthrax infection. Doxycycline is more plentiful. It's a less- expensive drug. It's already available in the drug stockpile. But again, both are equally effective.

And the CDC says we really need a better balance. Already here in Washington, 10,000 people are on antibiotics, most of them Cipro, and they're very concerned about antibiotic resistance. So that's why it's important for people to also be taking doxycycline.

Now on another note here in Washington, businesses with mail rooms, the mail rooms will now be evaluated for possible anthrax contamination. Those who work in these mail rooms in these businesses will be encouraged to come in for testing to see if they've been exposed to anthrax.

Also, there's evidence that testing may spread across the country to other mail rooms, distribution centers within the postal system to check for anthrax contamination.

And over the weekend, in fact, a mail room in Princeton, New Jersey was closed after they found a small trace amount of anthrax in a mail bin. So that can bring us up to date -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: You mentioned the evaluations that will be taking place in various businesses. Who is doing those evaluations, and how do they go down?

ROWLAND: Well, with the evaluations -- you know, the CDC, the local health officials, as well as the postal system, they're all looking at this and whether it should be done.

And part of this too, Kyra, could be because there's a lot of concern about the home mail, the mail that we all receive; and so far there is no evidence of any kind of contamination.

But still, health officials are saying bring in your mail, wash your hands afterwards to decontaminate. And also, Kyra, they're looking at how to make the mail supply even safer. They're looking at possible technologies like irradiation to ensure that the mail supply can be as safe as possible.

PHILLIPS: Interesting, preventative maintenance. CNN medical correspondent Rhonda Rowland, thank you so much.

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