Effort from 4 months to inventory the contents of freezers and refrigerators in the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID ) in Fort Detrick, Maryland, turned up 9,220 bottles of dangerous pathogens and toxins that are not listed in the USAMRIID database.
USAMRIID officials announced at a press conference today that the Institute has taken over all its research activities, which were suspended in early February to allow a full accounting of agents selected laboratory biodefense Prime Minister. The institute has been under public scrutiny since last summer when the federal Bureau of former USAMRIID researcher Bruce Ivins Investigation involved in the 01 attacks the anthrax letters.
The USAMRIID labs house more than 70,000 bottles of some agents and toxins, including samples of the Ebola virus, anthrax and other deadly germs. Officials decided to conduct a comprehensive inventory of materials after researchers found four vials of Venezuelan equine encephalitis in a freezer that was never entered into the electronic database of the institute, established in 05. they have proven to be just the tip of the iceberg. The inventory showed that 13% of the bottles at the institute were not in the database, that officials had used to keep track of materials.
Most non-listed materials were bottles left by the researchers who left the institute before 05, Colonel Mark Kortepeter, deputy commander of USAMRIID, told reporters at the press conference of today. "The vast majority of them were stocks that have accumulated for decades to work," he said, explaining that the initial inventory of the electronic database 4 years ago focused on bottles that were under active use. Kortepeter said he was very "unlikely" that unlisted bottles were lost or stolen.
Around half of 9220 bottles were destroyed after scientists have determined that the materials in them were of limited scientific value, Kortepeter said. the rest was added to the database. the institute plans to conduct an inventory of 100% every year from now, he said.
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