| Bacillus anthracis is a spore-forming bacterium that is the causative agent of the disease anthrax. In 2001, anthrax-filled letters sent through the mail resulted in the death of 5 individuals and cost millions of dollars for decontamination of affected facilities in the United States. Current methods for killing B. anthracis endospores have not been adequately studied and may not be effective in treating the many different surfaces found in an indoor setting. In addition, endospores collected from a biological attack are also important evidence in a criminal prosecution, and therefore preservation of endospore DNA is necessary for a successful microbial forensics analysis. This study evaluates the efficacy of a novel chemical compound for its use against Bacillus atrophaeus and B. anthracis spores on metal, glass, paper, wood, and carpet surfaces. A simple spore recovery protocol to sample the above surfaces after treatment is described. Evidence is provided that the proprietary chemical compound is an effective sporicidal agent when compared to other decontaminating agents. Following spore inactivation using the compound, intact DNA is still present in sufficient quantities to be amplified by PCR, which allows the amplification and analysis of genes that are important for forensic identification of virulent B. anthracis strains. This technique can be used to kill endospores while simultaneously preserving the DNA evidence necessary for forensic analysis, allowing a scene to be decontaminated prior to exposing investigators and laboratory workers to viable B. anthracis spores. |
