Anthrax in Letter Mailed to Chile Does Not Match Strain Found in Letters Received in US, Investigato

AP Breaking ^ | 11/28/2001 | Laura Meckler

[KQQL]

Anthrax in Letter Mailed to Chile Does Not Match Strain Found in Letters Received in US, Investigators Say

By Laura Meckler Associated Press Writer
Published: Nov 28, 2001

WASHINGTON (AP) - Anthrax found in a letter mailed to Chile is not from the same as the strain discovered in letters received in the United States, investigators said Wednesday.

Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said further tests were needed to determine whether the anthrax specimen they tested came from the letter mailed to a Chilean doctor or if it was contaminated by the Chilean lab that performed the initial tests.

But at this point in the investigation, it appears that the Chilean letter is not related to the bioterrorism attacks in the United States, CDC spokesman Tom Skinner said from Atlanta.

"This strain does not match the strain associated with the contaminated mail in the United States and therefore does not appear to be linked to the situation in the United States," he said. The anthrax found in New York, Washington, New Jersey and Florida has been linked to the same Ames strain.

The Chilean lab has anthrax on its premises and could have contaminated the specimen during the testing process, before it was sent to the CDC.

U.S. officials have not examined the letter itself, which remains in Chile, but hope to, Skinner said.

CDC officials, who planned to continue working with Chilean health authorities, want to compare the Chilean laboratory's previously existing strain of anthrax with that believed found on the letter. A match would suggest that positive tests for anthrax resulted from contamination inside the lab.

Dr. Antonio Banfi, a pediatrician in Santiago, Chile, received the letter two weeks ago. It was mailed from Mosby Inc., a publisher of medical journals, in Orlando, Fla. Dr. Segaran Pillai, director of the Florida Department of Health lab in Miami, said he was told that the letter contained a pamphlet with medical literature.

The letter had a Swiss postmark, apparently because it passed through the New York branch of a Swiss postal service, which competes with private companies like Federal Express to handle international bulk mailings for U.S. companies

[meridia]

Indexing.

[KQQL]

The letter had a Swiss postmark, apparently because it passed through the New York branch of a Swiss postal service, which competes with private companies like Federal Express to handle international bulk mailings for U.S. companies

This means that this anthrax was send from Florida !

[copycat]

Multiple Mailers now. Not good.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

Already posted here

[KQQL]

I checked and nothing showed up.( I don't get it)

[concerned about politics]

Chilean anthrax letter sent from NY: police...another thread that says it IS linked. Here.

[KQQL]

thanks for the info,

[John H K]

That it was contaminated in the Chilean lab is probably more likely. The idea that a mass mailing to an obscure and also irrelevant doctor in Chile would have anthrax as part of a deliberate attack, and that doctor would be the ONLY recipient, is beyond silly. I realize people are desperate for the anthrax conspiracy to be outside the US and more widespread, but I'll come down on the side of it not being an attack.

[John H K]

That article was before they found out it was a different strain.

[Free the USA]

The reason your search showed noithing is because the other article barely beat yours. Something you could not help.

[KQQL]

The letter had a Swiss postmark, apparently because it passed through the New York branch of a Swiss postal service, which competes with private companies like Federal Express to handle international bulk mailings for U.S. companies

This means that this anthrax was send from Florida !

Correction, it was send from NY ( Thanks for the link concered about politics)

[KQQL]

I guess you are right, sorry for the duplication:(

[blam]

"That it was contaminated in the Chilean lab is probably more likely. The idea that a mass mailing to an obscure and also irrelevant doctor in Chile would have anthrax as part of a deliberate attack, and that doctor would be the ONLY recipient, is beyond silly. I realize people are desperate for the anthrax conspiracy to be outside the US and more widespread, but I'll come down on the side of it not being an attack."

Of all the things that a letter/sample could be contaminated with, isn't it a concidence that this one is suspected to be contaminated with, guess what, anthrax? Why not TB, AIDS or a hundred other things? Nothing about this incident makes much sense.

[weegee]

It was mailed from Mosby Inc., a publisher of medical journals, in Orlando, Fla. Dr. Segaran Pillai, director of the Florida Department of Health lab in Miami, said he was told that the letter contained a pamphlet with medical literature.

[katze]

ABCs 20/20 is doing segement on abortionist who rec'd an envelope of supposed high grade anthrax, signed by "Army of God". Abortionist being oh, soooo brave.

Don't chastise me for watching ABC, in kitchen, no satellite.

[Clinton's a rapist]

Got any scoop on Allah Rakah, the guy the FBI arrested in Jersey about three weeks ago? Did they ever release that guy?

[Alamo-Girl]

Verrrrrry interesting! Thanks for the heads up!

[meridia]

It's getting curiouser and curiouser...

[Alamo-Girl]

Yes indeed!