While your claims about the side effects of the current anthrax vaccines are wildly inaccurate (though it does have side effects) you are at least correct in saying that it is not helpful if given after exposure. That is one of the reasons why scientists are working on developing vaccines that can be used in post-exposure prophylaxis, as well as the benefit of having a generally improved vaccine that can be given to the few individuals (e.g. soldiers) considered to be at a higher risk of exposure to anthrax.

* still a lot better than the less than 10% that would be expected to have survived without antibiotic treatment.

The binding of PA to Furin starts an enzymatic process that enables anthrax toxins to enter the cells and to suppress the immune system, both damaging tissue and depressing the ability of the immune system to fight the anthrax infection. The current vaccines work by inducing the immune system to produce antibodies to PA, thus preventing illness and enabling the immune system to attack the anthrax bacteria. The idea that the vaccine turns humans into anthrax delivery systems is conspiracy theorist nonsense, even if the vaccine did turn people into anthrax carriers person-to-person transmission is extremely inefficient (and might not happen at all for inhalational anthrax) so as a weapon it would be useless.

You are so right! You want to see venom and hatred, visit some of the “animal rights” bloggers–most are scary anti-social fanatics. Then there are the “wolves in sheep’s clothing” like *Don* Pacelli of the H$U$–who pay a top PR firm to snow the American people while he plans the incremental legislative steps to end animal use.

It’s takes great big cajones to state we’re the ones full of hatred. We don’t run around in black masks leaving bombs on people’s doorsteps or blowing up their cars. It’s the animal rights nut jobs that are full of hatred for anyone that doesn’t agree with them.