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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, August 2006, p. 5304-5310, Vol. 72, No. 8
0099-2240/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.00940-06

Forensic Application of Microbiological Culture Analysis To Identify Mail Intentionally Contaminated with Bacillus anthracis Spores{dagger}

Douglas J. Beecher*

FBI Laboratory, Hazardous Materials Response Unit, 2501 Investigation Parkway, Quantico, Virginia 22135

Received 20 April 2006/ Accepted 22 May 2006

The discovery of a letter intentionally filled with dried Bacillus anthracis spores in the office of a United States senator prompted the collection and quarantine of all mail in congressional buildings. This mail was subsequently searched for additional intentionally contaminated letters. A microbiological sampling strategy was used to locate heavy contamination within the 642 separate plastic bags containing the mail. Swab sampling identified 20 bags for manual and visual examination. Air sampling within the 20 bags indicated that one bag was orders of magnitude more contaminated than all the others. This bag contained a letter addressed to Senator Patrick Leahy that had been loaded with dried B. anthracis spores. Microbiological sampling of compartmentalized batches of mail proved to be efficient and relatively safe. Efficiency was increased by inoculating culture media in the hot zone rather than transferring swab samples to a laboratory for inoculation. All mail sampling was complete within 4 days with minimal contamination of the sampling environment or personnel. However, physically handling the intentionally contaminated letter proved to be exceptionally hazardous, as did sorting of cross-contaminated mail, which resulted in generation of hazardous aerosol and extensive contamination of protective clothing. Nearly 8 x 106 CFU was removed from the most highly cross-contaminated piece of mail found. Tracking data indicated that this and other heavily contaminated envelopes had been processed through the same mail sorting equipment as, and within 1 s of, two intentionally contaminated letters.

* Mailing address: FBI Laboratory, Hazardous Materials Response Unit, 2501 Investigation Parkway, Quantico, VA 22135. Phone: (703) 632-7924. Fax: (703) 632-7898. E-mail: dbeecher{at}fbiacademy.edu.

{dagger} Publication no. 05-11 of the Laboratory Division of the FBI.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, August 2006, p. 5304-5310, Vol. 72, No. 8
0099-2240/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.00940-06




This article has been cited by other articles:

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  • Weiss, M. M., Weiss, P. D., Weiss, J. B. (2007). Anthrax Vaccine and Public Health Policy. Am. J. Public Health 97: 1945-1951 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Mereish, K. A. (2007). Unsupported Conclusions on the Bacillus anthracis Spores. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 5074-5074 [Full Text]  


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