The Israel Defense Forces and Israel's Ministry of Health reportedly provided the Pentagon this week with detailed documents of operational procedures for dealing with biological attacks. According to a report in Yediot Aharonot, Israel's leading daily newspaper, the Americans requested the documents, prepared by the IDF's Home Command and Medical Corps, due to the high respect the U.S. has for Israel's preparedness against such attacks.

This week, the IDF's military liaison in the Pentagon reportedly gave the Americans a copy of a file and documents entitled, "The medical guide for dealing with and treating those injured by agents of biological warfare." The guide was prepared by the IDF Home Command and the Medical Corps "biological department," as well as the Health Ministry.

The Israeli medical guide relates primarily to missile-borne biological attacks, but much of the information provided could be utilized in situations where anthrax exposure is based on mail delivery as well.

Yediot Aharonot gave examples of information included in the guide, provided here in unofficial translations:

Suspicion of a biological "incident" - "As long as there is not complete certainty as to the nature of the attack material, every patient with a fever will be related to as someone suffering from anthrax. Patients hospitalized with conventional injuries or injuries received from chemical warfare materials, and who were in a high-risk area during the time of an attack that was determined to be biological, will receive a preventative course of antibiotics. If symptoms of the disease similar to those of anthrax appear, they will receive antibiotics accordingly."

Biological attack - "Whoever is showing the symptoms of an anthrax patient, even without clear diagnosis of the disease, will receive treatment for anthrax."

Area of continued risk - "This is the area near the attack location, where concentrations of anthrax spores continue to endanger humans and animals. People entering this area without protective breathing apparatus are susceptible of exposure to the disease. In this area, residents will be asked to remain in their homes, and soldiers of the Home Command will distribute preventative antibiotic treatment from door to door."

Treatment of residents - "Residents suspected of being exposed to anthrax spores, both in areas of continued risk and areas of passing risk, will receive preventative antibiotic treatment. Those suspected of having contracted the disease will receive a more intensive course of antibiotics. Patients whose condition deteriorates will be transferred to a hospital for continued care."

Yediot Aharonot reports that according to the estimations of Medical Corps and Home Command experts, about 10% of those injured in a biological attack would be seriously affected and in need of intensive care. Another 40% would be in moderate condition while half of those exposed to a biological attack would be only lightly affected. The experts further assume that about half of all the patients would be children.

"Most of the patients will be dealt with in their community and/or by the Home Command," the medical guide says. "Patients suspected of having contracted inhaled anthrax will come down with the symptoms only after 24 hours. During this time period, all residents of the high risk area will begin to receive antibiotic treatment, which is vitally necessary to save the lives of those exposed to this form of anthrax."

Yediot Aharonot concluded its excerpts by stating that the medical guide gave consideration to the possibility of incorrect diagnoses of the biological attacks. In any case, the guide reiterated, patients exposed to a biological attack should be treated as if they had contracted anthrax.

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