Biological Threat Fact Sheets

Anthrax

Agent:  Bacillus anthracis

There are three clinical forms of B. anthracis which are determined by route of entry:

• Pulmonary or Inhalation—BT implications
• Cutaneous—most common
• Gastrointestinal

Key Characteristics: 

• Aerobic or facultative anaerobe
• Spore-forming
• Gram-positive rods
• Non-hemolytic (gamma)
• Non-motile

Acceptable Specimens:

• Isolate
• Cutaneous anthrax: sterile swab from vesicular or eschar stage
• Gastrointestinal anthrax: Blood culture, stool (≥5 g) or rectal swab
• Inhalational anthrax: Blood culture, lower respiratory specimen (>1ml)
• Environmental samples submitted by law enforcement personnel

Specimen Submission:

All specimens must be triple contained in accordance with federal shipping regulations. All clinical specimens must be accompanied by a specimen submission form (G-27A). Prior to submission, please call (512) 776-3781.

Brucellosis

Agent: Brucella abortus, Brucella melitensis, Brucella suis, and Brucella canis

• Aerosols of Brucella spp. are considered to be highly infectious.
• B. melitensis produces the most severe and acute form of disease.
• B. abortus produces a more chronic form of disease.
• B. suis may also cause severe acute disease, but is associated with osteomyelitis.
• B. canis rarely causes disease in humans.

Key Characteristics:

• Small gram-negative coccobacilli
• Slow-grower, colonies appear after 48-72 hrs of incubation
• Non-motile
• Oxidase positive
• Urease positive
• X and V factors not required

Acceptable Specimens:

• Isolate
• Blood culture
• Bone marrow
• Tissue sample
• Environmental samples submitted by law enforcement personnel

Specimen Submission:

All specimens must be triple contained in accordance with federal shipping regulations. All clinical specimens must be accompanied by a specimen submission form (G-27A). Prior to submission, please call (512) 776-3781.

Botulism

Agent: Clostridium botulinum

There are three forms of botulism:

• Foodborne (classic form)
• Wound
• Intestinal (infant and adult)

Key Points:

• Please have physician consult with the Infectious Disease Control Unit (IDCU) prior to sample collection:

  • (800) 252-8239 (“press 1”)

Acceptable Specimens:

• Stool
  • 10-50 grams recommended for an adult
  • ≥5 grams recommended for an infant
  • Do not freeze
     
• Serum
  • 10ml minimum for an adult is recommended
  • Not recommended for infant testing
     
• Wound
  • Tissue from a biopsy or swab from deep in the wound
     
• Food
  • Only tested if associated with a confirmed botulism case

Shipping conditions:

• Stools and serum
  • Should be shipped cold (on cold packs, not dry ice) by overnight courier
• Wound
  • Ship tissue in anaerobic atmosphere
  • Swab in anaerobic transport for swabs
  • Ship without refrigeration
• Food
  • Should be shipped in original container under current storage conditions (Example: cold storage submitted cold; frozen storage submitted frozen; etc)

Specimen Submission:

All specimens must be triple contained in accordance with federal shipping regulations. All clinical specimens must be accompanied by a specimen submission form (G-27A). Prior to submission, please call (512) 776-3781.

Tularemia

Agent: Francisella tularemia

• Aerosols of F. tularensis. are considered to be highly infectious.
• Two subspecies cause human disease:
  • F. tularensis subsp. tularensis (highly virulent)
  • F. tularensis subsp. holarctica (less virulent)

Key Characteristics:

• Tiny gram-negative coccobacilli
• Slow-grower, colonies appear after 48-72 hrs of incubation
• Usually requires cysteine supplementation
• Non-motile
• Oxidase negative
• Urease negative
• Beta-lactamase positive
• X and V factors not required

Acceptable Specimens:

• Isolate
• Blood culture
• Biopsied tissue or scraping of an ulcer (preferable)
• Swab of an ulcer (acceptable alternative)
• Tissue aspirate
• Environmental samples submitted by law enforcement personnel

Specimen Submission:

All specimens must be triple contained in accordance with federal shipping regulations. All clinical specimens must be accompanied by a specimen submission form (G-27A). Prior to submission, please call (512) 776-3781.

Plague

Agent: Yersinia pestis

• Three forms of plague:
  • Bubonic: infected lymph nodes
  • Septicemic: blood-borne organisms
  • Pneumonic: transmissible person-to-person; deadliest

Key Characteristics:

• Gram-negative coccobacilli with bipolar staining
• Colonies appear after 24-48 hrs of incubation
• Grows better at 22-25°C
• Non-motile
• Oxidase negative
• Urease negative

Acceptable Specimens:

• Isolate
• Bubonic: Aspirate of involved tissue (bubonic) or biopsied specimen: Tissue or aspirates that can be obtained for culture include liver, spleen, bone marrow, lymph node, and/or lung
• Septicemic: blood
• Pneumonic: Bronchial wash or transtracheal aspirate (>1 ml)
• Environmental samples submitted by law enforcement personnel

Specimen Submission:

All specimens must be triple contained in accordance with federal shipping regulations. All clinical specimens must be accompanied by a specimen submission form (G-27A). Prior to submission, please call (512) 776-3781.

Melioidosis / Glanders

Agent: Burholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei

• B. pseudomallei- causative agent of melioidosis
• B. mallei – causative agent of glanders

Key Characteristics:

• B. pseudomallei
  • Gram-negative rods with bipolar staining
  • Oxidase positive
  • Indole negative
  • Motile
  • Resistant to colistin/polymyxin B
    ​​​​​​​
• B. mallei
  • Faintly staining, gram-negative coccobacilli
  • Oxidase variable
  • Indole negative
  • Non-motile
  • Resistant to colistin/polymyxin B

Acceptable Specimens:

• Isolate
• Blood
• Urine
• Abscesses, tissue aspirates, fluids
• Environmental samples submitted by law enforcement personnel

Specimen Submission:

All specimens must be triple contained in accordance with federal shipping regulations. All clinical specimens must be accompanied by a specimen submission form (G-27A). Prior to submission, please call (512) 776-3781.

Ricin Toxin

Agent: Ricin toxin

• Ricin toxin is derived from castor beans, Ricinus communis.
• Medical tests to confirm that a person has been exposed to ricin are not widely available.
• No antidote exists for ricin.

Acceptable Specimens:

• Clinical:
  • Texas Department of State Health Services, Austin, does not currently accept clinical samples for ricin toxin testing.
  • Serum (acute and convalescent – 2 weeks apart) testing is performed at the CDC
  • Not indicated unless a known exposure has occurred
    ​​​​​​​
• Environmental: food, beverage, soil, water, powder, swabs, wipes, paper, plant material
  • Submitted by law enforcement personnel only

Specimen collection:

• Collect specimens in plastic containers and be triple contained in accordance with federal shipping
• Store specimens at room temperature or refrigerate
• NEVER freeze or heat samples suspected of containing ricin toxin, as this will denature the toxin

Specimen Submission:

Prior to submission, Prior to submission, please call (512) 776-3781.

Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B (SEB)​​​​​​​

Agent: Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB)

• SEB is one of several exotoxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus.
• SEB is the enterotoxin that most commonly causes classic food poisoning.

Acceptable Specimens:

• Clinical: Texas Department of State Health Services, Austin, does not currently accept clinical sample for SEB testing.
• Environmental: paper, powder, swabs, wipes, water, soil, food, beverage
  • Submitted by law enforcement personnel only

Specimen Submission:

Prior to submission, Prior to submission, please call (512) 776-3781.

Q Fever

Agent: Coxiella burnetii

• C. burnetii is an obligate intracellular organism and cannot be cultured on routine bacteriologic media.
• Due to the extreme infectivity of C. burnetii, Level A (Sentinel) laboratories should not attempt to culture this organism.

Acceptable Specimens:

• Blood - Collect blood in EDTA (lavender) or sodium citrate (blue) and maintain at 4°C for storage and shipping for PCR or special cultures

Specimen Submission:

All specimens must be triple contained in accordance with federal shipping regulations. All clinical specimens must be accompanied by a specimen submission form (G-27A). Prior to submission, please call (512) 776-3781.

Emergency Contacts

Biological Threat Response • 24/7 Emergency
Phone: (512) 689-5537

Chemical Threat Response • 24/7 Emergency
​​​​​​​Phone: (512) 689-9945