A retraction: The absolute worst case scenario for a combined bio nuclear attack on the USA would probably be no worse than 30% of the total population. St. Louis Post-Dispatch 9-20-1

ANTHRAX - Infection and symptoms: Anthrax is a livestock disease caused by Bacillus anthracis bacteria. The bacteria form spores that can live in the soil for decades. In a biological weapons attack, anthrax would most likely be spread as a cloud of spores. Such a cloud inhaled by a city's residents would create widespread flu-like symptoms, killing 80 percent of those infected within one or two days after their symptoms appear. for example

Anthrax - Incubation period: Once spores enter the lungs, anthrax produces symptoms usually within one to 10 days but may incubate up to 43 days. It is not spread from person to person. Anthrax has not been seen in humans in the United States in 20 years, so even one case could indicate an attack. - Vaccines and treatment: Treatment with antibiotics must begin before anthrax's flu-like symptoms begin. An anthrax vaccine is currently available only to the military in extremely limited supply. SMALLPOX - Infection and symptoms: The world has been free of smallpox cases since 1978, but some strains are maintained in laboratories. The former Soviet Union reportedly stockpiled large amounts of the virus for use in weapons. The virus is easily spread from person to person. An aerosol release of smallpox infecting only 50 people could unleash an epidemic killing 30 percent of those infected with the painful, disfiguring disease. - Incubation period: Smallpox may take up to two weeks to appear in infected people. The disease starts as a rash resembling chicken pox, but other complications may occur. Most patients die of severe inflammation. - Vaccines and treatment: There is no known treatment for smallpox. Vaccinations in the United States ceased almost 30 years ago. People vaccinated then may no longer be immune to the virus. The United States has limited stores of the vaccine, and efforts are under way to develop new vaccines. PLAGUE - Infection and symptoms: The plague, caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis, caused the Black Death epidemics that killed large populations of Europeans in the 14th century. Widespread outbreaks are now rare, but a few cases of bubonic plague still show up in the southwestern United States every year. A biological terror attack would probably involve the pneumonic form of plague and could kill up to 60 percent of those infected. If 100 pounds of Black Death bacteria was released over a city of 5 million, about 150,000 people would contract the disease. More than 35,000 of those would probably die. The Soviet Union produced massive quantities of the bacteria for weapons use. - Incubation period: One to 10 days after exposure, victims begin to show symptoms of severe respiratory and gastrointestinal problems. The disease can spread from person to person. - Vaccines and treatment: Treatment with antibiotics would be effective during early stages of the infection. No vaccines are available to protect against plague. http://www.knoxstudio.com/shns/story.cfm?pk=SIEGE-BIOWAR1-09-20-01&c at=AN