That’s scary because the disease of small pox virus was eradicated from the planet in 1979.  Which means no one is immune.  There are no meds or drugs that would cure anyone who was infected. Small pox spread like wildfire.  If it escapes, a new plague could sweep the country.  Luckily, these samples were discovered by government officials before they fell into the wrong hands.

Who would have the “wrong hands?”  Could a small pox bio-terrorism threat happen?

Many people don’t know this fact.  After small pox was eliminated in 1979, scientists decided to keep a few samples of the virus in secure storage.  One place is at the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta.  The only other place (except for the National Institute of Health—we now learn) in the world is a secret lab in Vector, Russia.

What could be a small pox bio-terrorism scenario? Here’s my fear.

It’s not the lab at the CDC.  Security is the tightest in the world.  But what about the lab in Russia?  Or labs we don’t know about?  Do you think their security measures are good enough to prevent a small pox bio-terrorism threat?

What if some desperately poor Russian scientist was offered a ton of money to steal a sample of  small pox?  And what if the buyer was a terrorist?  Could this be the next small pox bio-terrorism agent?

Unfortunately, I think it could happen.  My first book, Reprisal, was based on this scenario.  The plot starts with a scientist selling vials of small pox virus to a terrorist.  He intends to infect American children to start a plague.  And since there’s no cure, the effects would be catastrophic.

Small pox is passed as easily as a common cold.  The outcome of a plague is really scary.  Think of all the people crammed together at shopping malls, sporting events, music concerts, and air planes.  The spread of a a small pox bio-terrorism virus would explode across the country.

How do we stop it?  What would happen? You’ll have to read my book!!  I did a ton of research about the emergency plans the CDC would use to combat a small pox plague.  For instance, they have mobile labs set up that can be deployed at a minute’s notice to anywhere in the country.  Their first strategy would be to contain the spread in as small a geographic area as possible.   If this idea interests/scares you—you’ll love the book!!

The post Discovered: Bio-terrorism Small Pox Virus appeared first on Colin T. Nelson.

For a new author like me, unknown and unlisted on the NY Times Book Review, to get into a major chain is very exciting. Why is it there?

I think the cover of the book is compelling. My good friend, Jeff Holmes designed it. The story is about terrorists who plot to use stolen samples of small pox virus to infect American children and then send them back into the schools as weapons of mass destruction to start a plague. The cover mirrors the fear and danger of bio-terrorism. The truly scary aspect for me is that small pox was eradicated from the planet in 1979. No other vaccines were developed and everyone on the planet is vulnerable to the disease–no one has a defense to it. The face of someone plotting to release a deadly virus looks menacing and evil.

People who have read the book tell me it’s a page-turner. I’m happy about that since that was the purpose–to entertain people with a good story.

Also, the main character is an American woman, born here who happens to be Muslim. She’s forced to defend a terrorist who is also Muslim but is totally opposite from her version of Islam. The struggle to be a moderate Muslim in America forms the theme of the book–religious tolerance.

If you’re interested, check it out at the Borders stores around the Cities.

And thanks to all the wonderful readers who have not only purchased the book but have given me many nice words of support!! Thanks to you all.

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