Berlin (AP) — the messages could sit up: the US authorities want to half a million doctors, rescue workers and other helpers as a precaution against smallpox vaccination, reported US media in early July. Thus, the United States of a decision of vaccination Council of across the US Department, which had complained against preventive vaccination of series is set. Also Israel is preparing for the possibility of an attack with smallpox. Since the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, the fear of a terrorist attack with biological weapons is growing. The series of anthrax attacks, which rocked the United States, seems this still relatively harmless. Already a Pockenfall, as an infected suicide bombers, could trigger an epidemic. In addition to the plague, smallpox among the oldest biological weapons. In the middle ages, the corpses of plague victims were catapulted into besieged cities and fortresses to infect the inhabitants. Even today, most people were exposed a stop with the insidious viruses: because the smallpox apply since 1980 officially eradicated, the vaccination has been abolished. After September 11, therefore nearly all Western States against a possible attack of smallpox have armed, and the demand for vaccines rose by leaps and bounds. Germany also bought six million doses late last year for 100 million German marks (51.13 million euros). But is Germany not planning preventive vaccination of series such as the United States. Jan van Aken, co-founder of “sunshine project” to a ban on biological weapons, discourages preventive vaccination programmes: the risk of an attack with smallpox is although not completely exclude, but in Germany “extremely low”. Also infected could be nachgeimpft in an emergency a few days. Smallpox, which are caused by viruses are highly contagious. Spread out over the smallest droplets when talking, coughing or sneezing from person to person. Also on clothes or blankets of patients, the disease can be transmitted. The last Pockenfall was registered in 1977.