757 Laboratory Safety

Anthrax

Anthrax is an acute infectious disease caused by a spore-forming bacterium called Bacillus Anthracis.

It is generally acquired following contact with anthrax-infected animals or anthrax-contaminated animal products. Anthrax is receiving heightened attention because of its use as a biological warfare agent.

Laboratory Incident

The levels are based on the operations to be performed, known or suspected routes of entry and transmission, and laboratory function.

In 2014, one of CDC's biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) laboratories was preparing anthrax samples to be sent for research at two CDC labs with lower biosafety levels, both of them BSL-2 labs.

The two BSL-2 labs where the samples were sent were not equipped to handle live anthrax bacteria. Workers in the BSL-2 labs, believing the samples were inactivated, were not wearing adequate personal protective equipment needed to work with live bacteria while handling the material. Procedures used in two of the three involved labs also may have aerosolized the anthrax spores (put them into the air).

CDC immediately began investigating the incident to assess the health risk to staff. All work in the affected labs was suspended for decontamination. CDC notified potentially exposed personnel as soon as they were identified and referred them to the CDC health clinic or to a local emergency department for evaluation and preventive care. Potentially exposed staff were offered antibiotics and vaccinations to prevent possible anthrax infection. No staff had shown symptoms of anthrax or tested positive for anthrax infection.

CDC also performed environmental testing of the affected labs before they were decontaminated; preliminary results for some of the tests were negative for anthrax, suggesting that contamination or release was unlikely. (Source CDC)

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