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The theft of two vials of genetically altered bacteria from a Michigan State University research laboratory this month has triggered fears of bio-terrorism because of the effect they had had on pigs.
The investigating authorities have identified a suspect who worked in the building, but was not authorised to go into the secure laboratory that stored the bacterium, actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, also known as APP.
The altered bacteria were used to develop a vaccine for a swine virus, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, adding that the authorities had not released the suspect's name.
APP, it said, was being developed into a pig vaccine to treat respiratory problems, but instead led to encephalitis in the animals. Both the respiratory problem and encephalitis are fatal to pigs if left untreated.
The investigation had centred on what access the suspect had to the lab, because the storage of APP, along with lab notes of the failed research, wasn't widely known.
The theft of the vials and research notes raised concerns of potential bio-terrorism because of the impact the bacteria can have on pigs, the paper said, quoting MSU spokesman Terry Denbow, adding that evidence suggests, however, that the suspect destroyed the APP.
The theft, the Journal said, raised concerns on security at research laboratories in the US. President George W Bush in June signed into law the Public Health Security and Bio-terrorism Response Act of 2002, which includes some provisions for laboratory security, including personnel-screening protocols. The health and human services department and the department of agriculture have together evolved guidelines, but they won't go into effect until 2003.
(PTI)
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