[ravingnutter]

Let's start a real conspiracy theory:

Missing vials of a potentially dangerous virus have prompted an Army investigation into the disappearance from a lab in Maryland.

The vials contained samples of Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis, a virus that sickens horses and can be spread to humans by mosquitoes. In 97 percent of cases, humans with the virus suffer flu-like symptoms, but it can be deadly in about 1 out of 100 cases, according to Caree Vander Linden, a spokeswoman for the Army's Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases.

Newsvine

You say the virus started before that? Well, the truth is that the vials have been missing for about a year:

The inquiry begun in 2008 by the service's Criminal Investigation Command is "in the final stages of its mandatory review process before being closed," according to command spokesman Christopher Grey.

Army Investigating Disappearance of Lethal Pathogen at Fort Detrick

More from that link:

The Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus is considered a possible tool of bioterrorism, but poses a significantly smaller threat than anthrax and other disease agents handled at the institute.

Also, if you will remember, the anthrax strain used in the 2001 attacks originated at the Army lab, and the prime suspect, Bruce E. Ivins committed suicide last year amid during the investigation.

Now on to the real clincher...did someone mention Venezuela? And Horses? Hmmmm....

Polo Horses Drop Dead In Florida

There you go...a full blown conspiracy. The horses didn't die of a virus? Heck...wouldn't be the first time we were lied to.

[PGalt]

Thanks for the links. Interesting.