Volume 8, Number 10, October 2002

Bioterrorism-Related Anthrax

Laboratory Response to Anthrax Bioterrorism, New York City, 2001

Michael B. Heller,* Michel L. Bunning,† Martin E.B. France,‡ Debra M. Niemeyer,§ Leonard Peruski,¶ Tim Naimi,† Phillip M. Talboy,† Patrick H. Murray,# Harald W. Pietz,† John Kornblum,* William Oleszko,* Sara T. Beatrice,* Joint Microbiological Rapid Response Team, [1] and New York City Anthrax Investigation Working Group [2]
*New York City Department of Health, New York, New York, USA; †Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; ‡Warfighting Concepts and Architecture Integration Division (J-8), The Joint Staff, Washington, D.C., USA; §Joint Program Office for Biological Defense, Falls Church, Virginia, USA; ¶Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA; and #Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Goldsboro, North Carolina, USA

Figure 3. Depiction of the data flow at the New York City Bioterrorism Response Laboratory adopted soon after the surge of isolates after the bioterrorism attack. An access database was developed, and a number of demographic fields and test results were identified and entered. Data retrieved from the Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) laboratory after suspicious packages were opened had to be input into the database; the original documentation was modified if any additional information was identified. An attempt was made to monitor all transactions occurring to the sample, which began to make the system unwieldy. The database was modified numerous times and recently was entirely replaced. Most of the comments, such as “no place in database” have been corrected. PCR, polymerase chain reaction; DOD, Department of Defense; HHA, hand-held analysis; DFA, direct fluorescent-antibody assay; OEM, Office of Emergency Management.

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This page last reviewed September 16, 2002

Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal
National Center for Infectious Diseases
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