Health officials have issued a warning about a deadly type of bacteria that was accidentally released from a high-security laboratory at the Tulane National Primate Research Center in Louisiana.
Officials say there is no risk to the public, according to
USA Today.
But several federal and state agencies are investigating the release to determine the cause and extent of the contamination. The newspaper said the incident has raised concerns that the bacteria may have contaminated the facility's grounds, which is 35 miles north of New Orleans.
"The fact that they can't identify how this release occurred is very concerning," said Richard Ebright, a biosafety expert from Rutgers University in New Jersey, who testified before Congress last summer in the wake of lab incidents at federal agencies involving anthrax, smallpox, and a deadly strain of avian influenza.
The latest incident involves the release of a bacterium called Burkholderia pseudomallei, that can spread to humans through contact with contaminated soil and water where it can live and grow.
The Tulane research, which was halted by federal officials, aims to develop a vaccine against the bacteria.
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