Anthrax from military lab mistakenly shipped across USA

Nick Penzenstadler | USA TODAY

Pentagon officials said Wednesday that samples of anthrax were inadvertently shipped across the USA to nine states.

The shipment of samples containing live Bacillus anthracis came from the Dugway Proving Ground in Dugway, Utah, said Col. Steven Warren, a Pentagon spokesman.

"The Department of Defense is collaborating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in their investigation," Warren said.

Warren said the samples pose no risk to the general public and there are no suspected or confirmed cases of anthrax infection in potentially exposed lab workers.

Government and commercial labs in California, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin received the samples.

In reaction to the incident, the Pentagon suspended all shipments of anthrax from its federal labs pending the investigation.

The CDC began its investigation after a consultation request from a private lab that received samples from the military facility.

"The ongoing investigation includes determining if the labs also received other live samples, epidemiologic consultation, worker safety review, laboratory analysis, and handling of laboratory waste," said Jason McDonald, a spokesman for the CDC.

All samples involved in the mishap will be securely transferred to CDC or regional partner labs for further testing, McDonald said. The CDC dispatched investigators to Dugway to conduct onsite investigations.

The safety mishap comes on the heels of increased scrutiny of bioterror agents and their oversight around the country.

Last summer, the CDC said about 86 Atlanta-based staff were potentially exposed to live anthrax bacteria.

USA TODAY and government auditors previously flagged serious issues at CDC labs that work with some of the world's most dangerous deadly pathogens, including failures of airflow systems designed to prevent the release of infectious agents and not ensuring that those working with bioterror agents have proper training.

In July, Tom Frieden, director of the CDC, testified before Congress about the serious safety lapses. The anthrax incident "was completely unacceptable. It should never have happened," he said.

Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Pa., chairman of an oversight committee of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, said lab safety issues appear to be systemic at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Murphy, citing numerous reports issued by government watchdogs over the years, called the incidents "sloppy" and "inexcusable."