title: Rapid recovery and identification of anthrax bacteria from the environment.
abstract: Bacillus anthracis has been recognized as a highly likely biological warfare or terrorist agent. We have designed culture techniques to rapidly isolate and identify "live" anthrax from suspected environmental release. A special medium (3AT medium) allows for discrimination between closely related bacilli and non-pathogenic strains. Nitrate was found to be a primary factor influencing spore formation in Bacillus anthracis. Nitrate reduction in anthrax is not an adaptation to saprophytic environmental existence, but it is a signal to enhance environmental survival upon the death of the anthrax host, which can be mimicked in culture.
authors.affiliation: Directed Energy Bioeffects Division, Air Force Research Laboratory, Brooks Air Force Base, Texas 78235, USA. johnathan.kiel@brooks.af.mil
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Kiel
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Alls
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kalns
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Holwitt
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Stribling
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Bruno
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000881:Anthrax / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology*; D008018:Life Cycle Stages; D009566:Nitrates / Q000378:metabolism; D013171:Spores, Bacterial
chemical_list: D009566:Nitrates