Dangerous Bacteria Mysteriously Escapes from Louisiana Monkey Lab - East Idaho News
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Dangerous Bacteria Mysteriously Escapes from Louisiana Monkey Lab

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gma tulane bacteria 4x3 1600?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1425338281160ABC News(COVINGTON, La.) — How a potentially deadly strain of bacteria escaped from a primate research lab infecting four monkeys is a mystery, government officials said, but they added the incident poses no threat to the public.

The bacterium in question, burkholderia pseudomallei, is widespread throughout Southeast Asia and northern Australia, infecting humans and animals via contaminated soil and water entering the blood stream through cuts in the skin, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The high-security laboratory at the Tulane National Primate Research Center in Louisiana, which is studying the bacteria, reported that at least four rhesus macaques not used in studies were infected with the bug, possibly as early as November of last year.

How the bacteria made its way from the lab to animals not used in experiments is still an open question despite weeks of investigation by multiple federal and state agencies, including the CDC, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency.

“The only connection among these four animals was their presence in the veterinary hospital during the same period of time,” said Dr. Andrew A. Lackner, the director of the center in a statement last week, adding that more than 50 soil and water samples from the 500-acre compound have tested negative for the bacteria.

A federal investigator was also diagnosed with melioidosis, a disease caused by burkholderia, after visiting the center, Jason McDonald, a CDC spokesman, told ABC News. It isn’t clear whether he was exposed to the bacteria at the primate center or during travel to an infected region, McDonald said.

“You must do tests over several weeks to see whether the antibodies ramp up to indicate a recent exposure or hold steady to suggest the exposure wasn’t recent,” McDonald said. “We’ve done two tests already and the third test is due some time this week.”

Although they stressed that there is no risk to the general public, the agency directed Tulane to suspend all research until the investigation is complete, a CDC statement said. The infected animals were euthanized, according to the Tulane statement.

“The veterinary hospital has been thoroughly disinfected, and additional animal testing is ongoing,” Lackner’s statement read. “Tulane continues to work with the CDC, USDA and the EPA, as well as state and local officials on this matter.”

Melioidosis causes fever, headache, loss of appetite, muscle and joint pain. Although full-blown illness from the bacteria is rare, the fatality rate is up to 50 percent in some countries for those who do get sick, studies show.

Also of concern: The bacterium has been studied for use as a potential bioweapon, according to the UPMC Center for Health Security, an independent biosecurity think tank.


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