ANTHRAX IS RULED OUT AS CAUSE OF ADDICTS' DEATHS

A MYSTERY illness which claimed the lives of 11 heroin addicts was not
caused by anthrax, health officials said yesterday.

The possibility that the illness, which has affected 25 drug injectors in
the past three weeks, was caused by the deadly germ warfare bug was raised
by scientists last week.

Greater Glasgow Health Board said tests at the Ministry of Defence's
chemical weapons research department had firmly ruled out the possibility of
anthrax.

Other tests are continuing into the cause of the illness, although no new
cases have emerged since 19 May, when the total rose to 25.

Last week, scientists warned the illness could be linked to anthrax, but Dr
Laurence Gruer, GGHB's public health consultant, said the Porton Down tests
ruled out the possibility.

He said: "They have decided that there is no anthrax in their tests. We are
still testing samples of heroin and blood and tissue samples from the
victims."

All the reported cases were from the west of Scotland, and most were from
the Govanhill and Possilpark areas of Glasgow.