Loi

Bobby Jindal

Bruce D. Greenstein

GOVERNOR

SECRETARY

State of Louisiana

Department of Health and Hospitals
Center for Preventive and Community Health
02/13/2015
David D. Blaney, MD, MPH;
Medical Epidemiologist, Bacterial Special Pathogens Branch,
Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
MailStop A30;
404-639-3814; email: [email protected]
Dear Dr. Blaney

Melioidosis is an infectious disease caused by the gram-negative bacterium Burkholderia
pseudomallei, which is a select agent. In November 2014, two non-human primates in a breeding
colony at a national primate research center became ill and one died. Pathology samples were
submitted to CDC and Burkholderia pseudomallei was identified as the cause of infection.
Further genotyping revealed that the primates were infected with the laboratory reference strain,
which was used in the northern research part of the campus located 1 mile away from the primate
breeding colony. During December 19-23, 2014, an investigation was conducted at the research
center by CDC/Division of Select Agents and Toxins (DSAT) and USDA Select Agents
Program. The federal inspectors were accompanied by personnel from the Louisiana Department
of Health and Human Services Office of Public Health, the Louisiana Department of Agriculture
and Forestry, and the university that runs the research center. On January 23, a member of the
USDA inspection team developed an illness with melioidosis as a differential diagnosis. The
patient’s serum antibody titer was consistent with potentially recent or distant exposure to B.
pseudomallei, raising concerns of a possible exposure during the investigation by CDC and
USDA.
This letter serves as a request for a CDC Epi-Aid to assist Louisiana in the investigation of
potential Burkholderia pseudomallei exposures among non-human primates, and persons
employed at or inspecting a national primate research center.
Objectives of the investigation include:
1.
Provide technical subject matter expertise in support of CDC DSAT investigation of
laboratory biosafety lapse and understand how the NHPs became infected;

Infectious Disease Epidemiology Section
1450 Poydras St., Suite 2155, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112 P.O. Box 60630 New Orleans, Louisiana 70161
Phone # 504-568-83133 Fax # 504-568-8290 www.dhh.louisiana.gov
“AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER”

2.
Review historical risk assessments of animal and laboratory workers at the primate
research center;
3.
Conduct additional risk assessments, if needed, of potentially exposed personnel as the
investigation continues, including center employees and federal and state inspectors;
4.
Provide technical subject matter expertise to guide sampling strategy to assess potential B.
pseudomallei exposures to center employees, local, state, and federal employees, and the
surrounding community and to guide recommendations for prevention and control.
Thank you for your support.

Raoult Ratard MD, MS, MPH&TM, FACPM
State Epidemiologist
Louisiana Office of Public Health
504-458-5428; [email protected]