Environmental sampling for spores of Bacillus anthracis

On November 11, 2001, following the bioterrorism-related anthrax attacks, the U.S. Postal Service collected samples at the Southern Connecticut Processing and Distribution Center; all samples were negative for Bacillus anthracis. After a patient in Connecticut died from inhalational anthrax on Novem...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Emerging infectious diseases Vol. 8; no. 10; pp. 1083 - 1087
Main Authors:	Teshale, Eyasu H, Painter, John, Burr, Gregory A, Mead, Paul, Wright, Scott V, Cseh, Larry F, Zabrocki, Ronald, Collins, Rick, Kelley, Kathy A, Hadler, James L, Swerdlow, David L
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	United States U.S. National Center for Infectious Diseases 01-10-2002 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Subjects:	Analysis Anthrax Anthrax - epidemiology Anthrax - microbiology Bacillus anthracis Bacillus anthracis - isolation & purification Bioterrorism Connecticut - epidemiology Diagnosis Dispatch Environmental Monitoring environmental sampling Epidemiological Monitoring Equipment Contamination - statistics & numerical data Health aspects HEPA vacuum sock Humans Inhalation Exposure Investigations Occupational Exposure postal facility Postal Service Spores, Bacterial - isolation & purification surface sampling Connecticut United States
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Summary:	On November 11, 2001, following the bioterrorism-related anthrax attacks, the U.S. Postal Service collected samples at the Southern Connecticut Processing and Distribution Center; all samples were negative for Bacillus anthracis. After a patient in Connecticut died from inhalational anthrax on November 19, the center was sampled again on November 21 and 25 by using dry and wet swabs. All samples were again negative for B. anthracis. On November 28, guided by information from epidemiologic investigation, we sampled the site extensively with wet wipes and surface vacuum sock samples (using HEPA vacuum). Of 212 samples, 6 (3%) were positive, including one from a highly contaminated sorter. Subsequently B. anthracis was also detected in mail-sorting bins used for the patient's carrier route. These results suggest cross-contaminated mail as a possible source of anthrax for the inhalational anthrax patient in Connecticut. In future such investigations, extensive sampling guided by epidemiologic data is imperative.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-1 content type line 23 ObjectType-Article-1 ObjectType-Feature-2
ISSN:	1080-6040 1080-6059
DOI:	10.3201/eid0810.020398