08-19-2004, 10:42 AM
Interesting case.
Even if I have not read Dr Alibek's book, and for our information, I have found a contradictory view on this case, published in "Military Medicine", Vol. 166, N° 10, October 2001.
This is published in the "Monterey Institute of International Studies" website :
http://cns.miis.edu/research/cbw/tula.htm
In this article, the authors clearly propose - as their view and hypothesis - that this epidemic more likely resulted from natural causes.
Here are some abstracts of the article:
"Tularemia, Biological Warfare, and the Battle for Stalingrad (1942-1943)
An editorial from Military Medicine, Vol. 166, No. 10, October 2001.
Guarantor: Eric Croddy. MA
Contributors: Eric Croddy. MA: Sarka Krcalova MA "
" (...) In a recent book, Dr. Kenneth Alibek has suggested that the Soviet Red Army used tularemia (causative agent: Francisella tularensis) as a biological weapon during the battle of Stalingrad (1942-l943). Based on past clinical cases and the nature of the pathogen we propose that an outbreak resulting from natural causes is more likely. (...)
Alibek is generally considered to be reliable, and he has briefed the U.S. intelligence community at great length regarding former Soviet BW capabilities.[3] A former deputy director of the Soviet Russian Biopreparat. Alibek claims in his book that tularemia (caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis) was deployed against Nazi troops during the battle for Stalingrad (August 1942 to February 1943). Alibek bases his allegation on the hundreds of thousands of tularemia infections that quickly arose at the beginning of the siege and the collaborative statements of an elderly lieutenant colonel in the Soviet Red Army. (...)
Although no doubt exacerbated by wartime conditions at Stalingrad we believe that the tularemia epidemic of 1942-1943 was a natural outbreak. With regard to the high percentage of pleural involvement reported by Alibek (and others) one should note that even in the 1960s the mechanism of the disease process was not well understood nor was it certain if there was a primary pulmonary form of tularemia. (...)."
But the article also mentions :
"Interestingly, The Soviets reported that a live tularemia vaccine prepared by H.A. Gaiskii and B.Y. Elbert was tested at the Stalingrad front. (Sources conflict regarding whether or not large-scale tularemia vaccinations were administered for Soviet Red Army troops.) "
Have anyone seen or read other views and conclusions about this ?
What is actually the consensus - if any - about this case ?
Cheers.
Ch.
Even if I have not read Dr Alibek's book, and for our information, I have found a contradictory view on this case, published in "Military Medicine", Vol. 166, N° 10, October 2001.
This is published in the "Monterey Institute of International Studies" website :
http://cns.miis.edu/research/cbw/tula.htm
In this article, the authors clearly propose - as their view and hypothesis - that this epidemic more likely resulted from natural causes.
Here are some abstracts of the article:
"Tularemia, Biological Warfare, and the Battle for Stalingrad (1942-1943)
An editorial from Military Medicine, Vol. 166, No. 10, October 2001.
Guarantor: Eric Croddy. MA
Contributors: Eric Croddy. MA: Sarka Krcalova MA "
" (...) In a recent book, Dr. Kenneth Alibek has suggested that the Soviet Red Army used tularemia (causative agent: Francisella tularensis) as a biological weapon during the battle of Stalingrad (1942-l943). Based on past clinical cases and the nature of the pathogen we propose that an outbreak resulting from natural causes is more likely. (...)
Alibek is generally considered to be reliable, and he has briefed the U.S. intelligence community at great length regarding former Soviet BW capabilities.[3] A former deputy director of the Soviet Russian Biopreparat. Alibek claims in his book that tularemia (caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis) was deployed against Nazi troops during the battle for Stalingrad (August 1942 to February 1943). Alibek bases his allegation on the hundreds of thousands of tularemia infections that quickly arose at the beginning of the siege and the collaborative statements of an elderly lieutenant colonel in the Soviet Red Army. (...)
Although no doubt exacerbated by wartime conditions at Stalingrad we believe that the tularemia epidemic of 1942-1943 was a natural outbreak. With regard to the high percentage of pleural involvement reported by Alibek (and others) one should note that even in the 1960s the mechanism of the disease process was not well understood nor was it certain if there was a primary pulmonary form of tularemia. (...)."
But the article also mentions :
"Interestingly, The Soviets reported that a live tularemia vaccine prepared by H.A. Gaiskii and B.Y. Elbert was tested at the Stalingrad front. (Sources conflict regarding whether or not large-scale tularemia vaccinations were administered for Soviet Red Army troops.) "
Have anyone seen or read other views and conclusions about this ?
What is actually the consensus - if any - about this case ?
Cheers.
Ch.
