Recent News

By Region: North America

In Ricin Bioterrorist Attack, Food Prep Surfaces Could Be Decontaminated With Household Bleach

Help for a bioterrorist attack involving ricin, one of the most likely toxic agents, may be as close at hand as the laundry shelf, according to a report presented here at the 241st National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS). It concluded that ordinary household bleach appears to be an effective, low-cost, Read More »

March 30, 2011
| Filed under North America and Bioterrorism
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Secondary and Tertiary Transmission of Vaccinia Virus from US Military Service Member

On March 11, 2010, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) was notified of a suspected case of vaccinia in a person who had been exposed to a military service member recently vaccinated against smallpox. NYSDOH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted an investigation to identify the source of infection Read More »

March 30, 2011
| Filed under North America, Agents & Toxins, and Public Health
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Did the Anthrax Attacks Kick-Start Iraq War?

On February 5, 2003, then-Secretary of State Colin Powell went to the United Nations, to make the case for war in Iraq. A central plank of his presentation: the anthrax attacks that killed five people and helped send the country into a panic in the days after 9/11. “Less than a teaspoon-full of dry anthrax Read More »

March 29, 2011
| Filed under Middle East, North America, Biological Weapons, and Bioterrorism
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Four Develop Vaccinia Infections Stemming From Smallpox Shot

Four individuals became infected with the vaccinia virus through direct or second-hand exposure to a U.S. service member who had been vaccinated against smallpox, the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy reported on Monday (see GSN, Feb. 3). The service member received his smallpox shot on February 23, 2010. Four days later he participated Read More »

March 29, 2011
| Filed under North America and Public Health
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NBAF Research Institute Opens Doors to the Public For Open House

A behind-the-scenes look at the Biosecurity Research Institute and firsthand information about the National Bio and Agro-defense Facility are part of this year’s All-University Open House at Kansas State University.T he Biosecurity Research Institute at Pat Roberts Hall on the Manhattan campus will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 16, as Read More »