title: Multigeneration Cross-Contamination of Mail with Bacillus anthracis Spores.
abstract: The release of biological agents, including those which could be used in biowarfare or bioterrorism in large urban areas, has been a concern for governments for nearly three decades. Previous incidents from Sverdlosk and the postal anthrax attack of 2001 have raised questions on the mechanism of spread of Bacillus anthracis spores as an aerosol or contaminant. Prior studies have demonstrated that Bacillus atrophaeus is easily transferred through simulated mail handing, but no reports have demonstrated this ability with Bacillus anthracis spores, which have morphological differences that may affect adhesion properties between spore and formite. In this study, equipment developed to simulate interactions across three generations of envelopes subjected to tumbling and mixing was used to evaluate the potential for cross-contamination of B. anthracis spores in simulated mail handling. In these experiments, we found that the potential for cross-contamination through letter tumbling from one generation to the next varied between generations while the presence of a fluidizer had no statistical impact on the transfer of material. Likewise, the presence or absence of a fluidizer had no statistically significant impact on cross-contamination levels or reaerosolization from letter opening.
authors.affiliation: Edgewood Chemical Biological Center, United States Army, Department of Defense, 5183 Blackhawk Road, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, 21010, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Edmonds
authors.affiliation: National Homeland Security Research Center, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, United States of America.
authors.forename: H D Alan
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Lindquist
authors.affiliation: Edgewood Chemical Biological Center, United States Army, Department of Defense, 5183 Blackhawk Road, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, 21010, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sabol
authors.affiliation: HWC Inc., 1100 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, 20005, United States of America.
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.affiliation: National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, MS A-30, Atlanta, GA, 30333, United States of America.
authors.forename: Sean
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shadomy
authors.affiliation: Associate Vice President for Medical Education, American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, Chevy Chase, Maryland, 20815, United States of America.
authors.forename: Tyler
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cymet
authors.affiliation: Edgewood Chemical Biological Center, United States Army, Department of Defense, 5183 Blackhawk Road, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, 21010, United States of America.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Emanuel
mesh_terms: D000881:Anthrax / Q000382:microbiology*; D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D023482:Bioterrorism / Q000517:prevention & control; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D006801:Humans; D011177:Postal Service; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017132:Workplace