CDC: 11 biolab workers infected from 2004-10
Jan 15, 2013, 10:10 PM
Associated Press
HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 11 workers at U.S. biological laboratories were reportedly infected with dangerous pathogens from 2004 to 2010.
The agency released the report Tuesday. It was published in the January issue of Applied Biosafety.
The report is the CDC’s first analysis of reporting requirements implemented after the deadly 2001 anthrax attacks to track incidents of lost, stolen or released pathogens.
None of the infected lab workers died. The agency says the infection rate was far lower than the rate of general occupational illnesses in scientific research and development facilities.
The CDC says no thefts were reported. It says there was one incident in which a shipment of the fungus responsible for rarely fatal Valley fever was destroyed by a shipping company.
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