CDC suspends work at Texas A&M biodefense lab

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CDC suspends work at Texas A&M biodefense lab

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The Sunshine Project, a nonprofit group who monitors biodefense research safety, identified that two workers at a Texas biodefense lab were were exposed to Category B Bioterror agents back in February and April of 2006.  The Lab did not disclose the exposure to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) nearly a year later in April 2007.  The exposures involved two infectious diseases, Coxiella burnetii (an agent that has been previously weaponized and is considered a potential terriorist threat), and Brucella (a cheap to produce bioterriorism agent which although not fatal results in prolonged fever and can lead to arthritis, hepatitis, and meningitis).  This is not an isolated incident either, other Biosafety Level 3 labs have had similar incidents. A Texas A&M Biodefence Lab, doing work on foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease (including the study of foot-and-mouth disease, avian influenza, and Rift Valley fever), failed to report that two of its employees had been exposed to category B bioterror agents.  One of the exposures was not reported until a year after the exposure was confirmed. As soon as the CDC was made aware of the exposures it ordered the Texas A&M Lab to shut down all of its work on select agents and toxins until a full review can be performed.  The exposures were identified by the Sunshine Group, an nonprofit group that monitors biodefence research safety, who were evaluating Labs who were vying to host the federal government's planned new national biodefense facility.  They identified the exposures through freedom-of-information requests to obtain documents about the lab incidents.  This is the first time the CDC has had to issue such a suspension of work for a lab before. The exposure was not reported because Texas A&M believed it was only required to report the accident if and when the exposed person was confirmed with an illness, not just the exposure.  Texas A&M is working with the CDC and other Labs to implement new processes and procedures to ensure they are compliant with all CDC standards before being granted a continuation of work. Read More

 

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