Modification of clastogenesis and carcinogenesis in rats and mice by means of anthrax live vaccine.

Possible micronuclei (MN) inducing activity of anthrax live vaccine (ALV; produced in Armenia and used for immunization of animals) was studied on rats and mice. It has been shown that ALV did not induce MN in rodents' bone marrow erythrocytes. For the first time it has been shown that immunization of rats and mice with ALV led to decrease of micronuclei number induced by cyclophosphamide and 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene in bone marrow cells. Immunized rats were also resistant to carcinogenic action of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene. Immunization reduced significantly the number of rats with tumor and mean tumor weight, and increase the mean latency period of tumor development. It would be of interest to carry out further investigations of the anticlastogenic/anticarcinogenic effects of ALV used for immunization of humans, if only because anthrax was used and may be used again in future as a biological weapon.