Diluting the deadly effects of anthrax – with a nice cup of tea

Mar 14 2008 by Tim Lewis, Western Mail

SCIENTISTS from a Welsh university have discovered a potential antidote to the deadly bio-terrorism weapon anthrax – the humble cup of tea.

The team of researchers, led by Cardiff University anthrax expert Professor Les Baillie of the Welsh School of Pharmacy, stumbled upon tea’s ability to kill the deadly bacteria after trying to prove its medical benefits to their American colleagues.

While working with Doctor Theresa Gallagher and her team at the Biodefense Institute, part of the Medical Biotechnology Centre of the University of Maryland in Baltimore, the two groups of scientists tested the effects of tea and coffee on anthrax, or bacillus anthracis.

Prof Baillie said, “The discovery came out of some Friday afternoon science. Our American colleagues were drinking vast amounts of Starbuck’s coffee and we wanted to show them how much better tea was for you.

“We decided to research, under very strict laboratory conditions, if English breakfast tea was more effective than a commercially available American medium-roast coffee at killing anthrax.

“We found that special components in tea such as polyphenols have the ability to inhibit the activity of anthrax quite considerably.

“The Chinese and Japanese have said for many, many years about the medicinal qualities of tea and there have been studies to show it can protect against some forms of radiation.”

Having spent nearly 20 years researching anthrax – including working at the British Defence Science Technology Laboratory in Porton Down for 12 years and five years at the US Navy Biological Defense Research Directorate – Prof Baillie was pleasantly surprised at the results.

“I certainly wouldn’t suggest anyone who discovers anthrax, not to call the emergency services and just pour a cup of tea over it,” added Prof Baillie.

“But I like the idea a nice cup of tea could help to get you through a moment of terror. It’s a very British way of dealing with a problem.”

But that’s tea without milk. The scientists found that adding milk negated tea’s antibacterial qualities, leaving it useless against the biological weapon.

Professor Baillie continued, “I would suggest that in the event that we are faced with a potential bio-terror attack, individuals may want to forgo their dash of milk, at least until the situation is under control.

“What’s more, given the ability of tea to bring solace and steady the mind, and to inactivate bacillus anthracis and its toxin, perhaps the Boston Tea Party was not such a good idea after all.”

Anthrax hit the headlines in 2001 in the wake of the 9/11 bombings when letters containing the deadly anthrax spores were sent to several news media offices and two US senators. Five people were killed and 17 others injured in the attacks, which still remain unsolved crimes.

While the disease may have been thrust into the public’s attention after the terror attacks, Prof Baillie said it has been used for many years in warfare. He said because it is relatively simple to engineer and can have deadly effects, it is a perfect substance for terrorists to use to harm people.

Researchers now hope to use their findings from studying anthrax in America to help their understanding of clostridium difficile, the harmful bacteria which is suspected to have caused a number of deaths, including 90 people at a hospital in Kent from April 2004 to September 2006.

The team at Cardiff University said they would like to be able to apply their science to save lives in Wales and across the world.

Dangerous disease

Anthrax is a disease caused by the organism bacillus anthracis.

It derives its name from anthrakis, the Greek word for coal, because the cutaneous version of the disease can cause black skin lesions.

It can be found in grass-eating wild and domestic animals, such as cows and sheep, most often in agricultural regions of Asia, Africa, South America and parts of southern and eastern Europe.

The bacterium forms spores that can survive and lay dormant in the environment, for example in the soil. These spores need a suitable environment to germinate in and cause anthrax infection, such as the skin, lungs or the intestine.

In 1995 the US listed 17 countries which it said had biological weapons programmes. These were Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, North Korea, Taiwan, Israel, Egypt, Vietnam, Laos, Cuba, Bulgaria, India, South Korea, South Africa, China and Russia.

Other countries including the USA and the UK have had biological weapons programmes in the past, but these were ended in 1972.

During World War II Britain tested the use of anthrax as a weapon on the Scottish Island of Gruinard. The island was not decontaminated until 1987.

The Aum Shinrikyo group, which released Sarin on the Tokyo underground in 1995, also released anthrax. No-one was infected.

The biggest human exposure to inhalation anthrax occurred in 1979 at a military biology centre in Sverdlovsk, Russia. Anthrax spores were accidentally released, resulting in 79 anthrax cases, 68 of which were fatal.