Microbial Forensics

Microbial Forensics

Stephen A Morse, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
Bruce Budowle, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Quantico, VA, USA

Microbial forensics is a newly developed discipline with an epidemiological foundation dedicated to the characterization, analysis and interpretation of evidence from the scene of an act of bioterrorism or a biocrime. It is an evolving subdiscipline of forensic sciences, which combines several disciplines including microbiology, molecular biology, genomics, bioinformatics and biochemistry. Microbial forensic investigations are carried out to obtain information regarding the identification or source of the material used in an act of bioterrorism, biocrime, hoax or unintentional release of a microorganism or toxin, with the ultimate goal of identifying those responsible for the crime (i.e. attribution). Attribution could be key to criminal prosecution of the individual or individuals, or for supporting actions that may be taken as a result of national policy
decisions.

Introduction
In mid-to-late September 2001, a 63-year-old male photo editor working for American Media in Boca Raton, Florida was exposed to a powder from an unusual letter while sitting at his desk. He became ill on September 27 while on a trip to North Carolina. After returning home, he was taken to the emergency room of his local hospital on October 2 complaining of fever, nausea, vomiting and confusion,
symptoms suggestive of bacterial meningitis. An examination of a Gram-stained smear of the patient’s cerebrospinal fluid obtained by lumbar puncture revealed the presence of numerous inflammatory white blood cells and chains of large Gram-positive rod-shaped bacteria. Based on the microscopic appearance of the stained smear, a diagnosis of anthrax was considered; the diagnosis was confirmed when Bacillus anthracis was identified in cultures of the patient’s cerebrospinal fluid and blood. The subsequent discovery of spores of B. anthracis on the index case’s (i.e. the initial patient in an epidemiologic investigation) computer keyboard and in the mail room of the America Media building as well as the recovery of spores from both asymptomatic coworkers and a hospitalized coworker suggested that the American Media building was the site where the infection had been acquired. This together with the finding of B. anthracis spores in regional and local postal centres that processed mail destined for the American
Media building implicated one or more mailed letters or packages as the probable source of exposure. When letters containing spores of B. anthracis were discovered in the offices of NBC, CBS, ABC and the New York Post and in the offices of Senator Tom Daschle, a bioterrorist act was realized in the United States. The use of the United States postal system as a method for disseminating spores of B. anthracis set off national panic, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began an investigation to identify the perpetrator of this heinous act. The need to exploit forensic evidence that could assist in identifying the perpetrator( s) thrust the nascent field of microbial forensics into the spotlight. The occurrence of this event created an urgent need for enhanced capabilities that make possible the full and robust forensic scientific exploitation and interpretation of microbial evidence from acts of bioterrorism or biocrimes.

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