Missing virus vial raises concerns at UTMB facility

reply to post by karen61560

Airborne spread of disease is by breath and or sneezing, coughing. If spray from a sneeze enters your lungs directly that is a form of airborne transmission. As opposed to blood transmission say like with aids or touching an inanimate object handled by an infected person. It has to do with time the virus survives outside the body which has to do virility or virulence. If it lives on doorknobs for days, that is an extremely hot agent. And oh, spores can remain dormant for centuries (in some cases).

Biosafety levels

Edit to add: If you just read one part of the different classifications of threat levels read the "Level 4" bit near the bottom of the page.

reply to post by superman2012

Maybe they are waiting until the last of the vaccinated die off, I wonder if the vaccine for smallpox that the US has in stock for every citizen, covers all strains?

Keeping enough virus vaccine on hand for any potential threat is problematic because enormous quantities are required and the stuff has a shelf life even when properly stored and monitored. Due to the enormous costs associated with all that the current procedure is to wait for any potential outbreak to surface and then manufacture and disseminate the vaccine. Remember the recent flu shot shortage? I never got one anyway, for that. (intrptr crosses fingers behind back)

I know, I know. Unless you are part of the government. They have ready reserves of every cure for them, I am sure. And bunkers with air conditioning and mini bars...

reply to post by BlueAjah


None the less, if it was a terrorist, he could easily infect himself, and spread through sneezing and coughing and just breathing even, if it went airborne it'd be very hard to control depending how many people it wold infect in the first couple weeks.

I live here on the island (Galveston) so this caught my attention right away.

I've got a couple of contacts at the GDN that have been made over the years. I messaged one of the reporters I know who works there and this is his response:

Haha hey XXXXX. Not much more than what we have in the paper. I wasn't in the office over the weekend when that story came in. But from the looks of it I don't think there is much to worry about.

Here is a pretty good blog post from The Atlantic that talks about the missing virus:

The Case of the Missing Deadly Virus Is Only a Problem If You Own Rats

X'ed out my name and formatted link for ATS forum code.

Source is my fb instant messenger.

Now I know this is ATS and can imagine the type of response this will garner, but I trust the source and if any Mod wants his name I will give it, but I'm not dropping it here.

reply to post by jadedANDcynical


Nothing to worry about? ... Maybe, but now the FBI has been called in on the case...

abcnews.go.com...

March 26, 2013
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has referred to the FBI the case of the laboratory where one of five vials of a deadly Venezuelan virus went missing, an official from the CDC told ABCNews.com.

"CDC reported the incident to the FBI and we understand that the FBI will initiate an investigation concerning the reported incident," Dr. Rob Weyant, director of the CDC's Division of Select Agents and Toxins, told ABCNews.com in an email. "Since the investigation is just underway, the agency will not comment further regarding details of this incident."

May want to keep a closer eye on this one for a while longer...

Originally posted by ausername
reply to post by jadedANDcynical

 

Nothing to worry about? ... Maybe, but now the FBI has been called in on the case...

abcnews.go.com...

March 26, 2013
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has referred to the FBI the case of the laboratory where one of five vials of a deadly Venezuelan virus went missing, an official from the CDC told ABCNews.com.

"CDC reported the incident to the FBI and we understand that the FBI will initiate an investigation concerning the reported incident," Dr. Rob Weyant, director of the CDC's Division of Select Agents and Toxins, told ABCNews.com in an email. "Since the investigation is just underway, the agency will not comment further regarding details of this incident."

May want to keep a closer eye on this one for a while longer...

edit on 26-3-2013 by ausername because: (no reason given)

I imagine that is standard practice in a situation like this.

Originally posted by opethPA

I imagine that is standard practice in a situation like this.

Maybe, but you'd think that if it was just an accounting/inventory error, and that they were as certain as they seemed to be that it had not been stolen, then there would be no need for the FBI, and also notice the change in wording, to "deadly virus"?

Standard procedure at a level 4 facility like this?

What is it?

I doubt even the FBI can get clearance to get inside the storage areas for these pathogens/contagions.

And also, this virus CAN spread human to human... airborne, but it's "unlikely" it was being handled at a level 4 lab... Look that up.

Is there any reason for concern here?

Unlikely, but it is worthy of at least being aware of... for now.

en.wikipedia.org...

Biosafety level 4

This level is required for work with dangerous and exotic agents that pose a high individual risk of aerosol-transmitted laboratory infections, agents which cause severe to fatal disease in humans for which vaccines or other treatments are not available, such as Bolivian and Argentine hemorrhagic fevers, Marburg virus, Ebola virus, Lassa virus, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, smallpox, and various other hemorrhagic diseases. When dealing with biological hazards at this level the use of a positive pressure personnel suit, with a segregated air supply, is mandatory. The entrance and exit of a level four biolab will contain multiple showers, a vacuum room, an ultraviolet light room, and other safety precautions designed to destroy all traces of the biohazard. Multiple airlocks are employed and are electronically secured to prevent both doors opening at the same time. All air and water service going to and coming from a biosafety level 4 (or P4) lab will undergo similar decontamination procedures to eliminate the possibility of an accidental release.

(The Galveston National Laboratory BSL-4 (P4) lab on the Campus of the University of Texas Medical Branch)

reply to post by ausername


I spent a little time driving around the UTMB campus today and didn't see anything othe than patients, students, doctors, nurses, visitors, Unversity Police.

Normal everyday activity and no MIBs or people in hazmat suits.

No zombies either...

I see many of the same admin staff from there evey day in my restaurant, the next lunch shift I work I will make a point of asking on of the University Police I know about this and gauge his reaction.

Originally posted by superman2012
I am sure that they should be able to trace who was in and out as I am sure this is a highly secure area right? Doesn't this happen quite frequently and they usually find it mislabeled or put in the wrong place? I wonder if this is ever the case or if they just don't want to freak out the public when they realize it has been stolen?

While their SNAFUs haven't involved deadly viruses, ask Los Alamos Nat. Labs how easy it is to have items (both physical items and information) sprout legs and walk out the door. I'm going to make a large assumption that LANL has about the highest level of security imaginable, probably even higher than the UTMB does...

It isn't a question of "if" it is a question of "when" will a deadly biological agent be stolen from one of these labs and "when" will said agent be used on a dense congregation of Americans.

reply to post by jadedANDcynical


If it was stolen, I doubt it would still be in the area... The CDC asked for the FBI to get Involved, who knows why?

If it was taken for use in developing a biological weapon, it could be anywhere now. Maybe there is no reason for concern... We'll see.

Originally posted by jadedANDcynical
reply to post by ausername

 

I spent a little time driving around the UTMB campus today and didn't see anything othe than patients, students, doctors, nurses, visitors, Unversity Police.

Normal everyday activity and no MIBs or people in hazmat suits.

No zombies either...

I see many of the same admin staff from there evey day in my restaurant, the next lunch shift I work I will make a point of asking on of the University Police I know about this and gauge his reaction.

I had no idea so many islanders on here. I may be able to provide information in the coming weeks that would be relevant. PM me if you have ???s

Originally posted by intrptr
reply to post by Opportunia

 

So I am pretty curious how the news managed to report completely false information about it and call it the truth.

If there is news to be disseminated about any potential health threats the CDC is the goto agency. Despite the disbelief and mistrust of media outlets these days, they are the most qualified and best equipped independent laboratory on the planet. You can believe what they say (if they say it). I am sure there are "mute" buttons somewhere in the chain. If they don't corroborate or contradict some media hype, then you know there was nothing to it.

CDC

Thanks, I should have done that first. Guess I've gotten a bit lazy this last year. Lost Dad last fall and it's takin a bit to get back into the swing of things... I do agree there is the CDC and the other emergency reporting agencies that offer tons of info, I'll do a bit more checking on the info before posting the links next time.

HomerinNC
Great, just great, someone stole the T-virus....
Where's Mila when you REALLY need her???

hang on, give me a second to wake her up. she's sleeping next to me.


I think I'm the one dreaming. ha ha ha ha

Elliot
Ah! A Twelve Monkeys moment!

I love that movie!!

oh B.O.T.:

I originally said that the plane had been redirected to an island for quarantine because they were all infected with some nasty virus.
The truth is unfolding and yet the G.O.D. won't actually state what is really going on... oooo the plot thickens.

Plane and vial of bacteria missing... hmmm

with all the fracking crap, both airborne and freshwater, oil drilling and refining, lack of regulations, who'll know the difference if it's released? this is Texas, for Christ's sakes