Spring Break
CDC investigates A&M
By: Calli Turner
Issue date: 6/28/07 Section: News
Through the Texas Public Information Act, Hammond received e-mails between Biological Safety Officer Brent Mattox and Director for the Office of Research Compliance Angelia Raines.
The e-mails reported a call made by Scott and White Health Clinic informing the occupational health program that three individuals from Professor James E. Samuel's lab had come in contact with Q fever.
Samuel declined to comment. Samuel's lab works directly with the pathogen Coxiella burnetii, the agent of Q fever.
Hammond said the federal law requires these infections to be reported immediately to the CDC and the University then must file a written report within seven days.
"A&M did not do that with the brucella and they did not do that with the Q fever, and that is a violation of federal law," Hammond said.
Hammond said A&M could face about $1.5 million in fines, depending on the assessment by the inspector general.
The investigations have occurred during A&M's bid to construct the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF), which aims to research human, zoonotic and foreign animal diseases, such as Q fever.
A month after officials with the CDC investigated the late reporting of the bioterriorism agent brucella in April, officials with the Department of Homeland Security arrived on campus to explore the possibility of A&M hosting the NBAF.
The sites vying for the location will be narrowed down through an environmental impact statement by the end of this month, possibly while the current CDC investigation is under way.
Symptoms of Q fever include high fevers, a sore throat, severe headaches, vomiting and abdominal and chest pain. Most will recover within several months and 1 percent to 2 percent of those infected with Q fever die.
Chronic Q fever, an infection that lasts more than six months results in approximately a 65 percent fatality rate.
Hammond said the two investigations signify a larger issue.
"It indicates that there are severe problems in the biological research program and that there needs to be a serious shake-up in their accident reporting and legal compliance," Hammond said.
Sunshine Project investigates other universities as well. "I have found similar accidents at other universities, so Texas A&M is certainly not alone in having this kind of event happen. What is unique so far is that I can demonstrate Texas A&M failed to report the accidents," Hammond said.
Hammond said Texas is lucky to have the Texas Public Information Act, and if other states had the same access, similar incidents would be reported.
"In a sense Texas A&M is being singled out here but that doesn't change the fact that they also violated the law," Hammond said.
The e-mails reported a call made by Scott and White Health Clinic informing the occupational health program that three individuals from Professor James E. Samuel's lab had come in contact with Q fever.
Samuel declined to comment. Samuel's lab works directly with the pathogen Coxiella burnetii, the agent of Q fever.
Hammond said the federal law requires these infections to be reported immediately to the CDC and the University then must file a written report within seven days.
"A&M did not do that with the brucella and they did not do that with the Q fever, and that is a violation of federal law," Hammond said.
Hammond said A&M could face about $1.5 million in fines, depending on the assessment by the inspector general.
The investigations have occurred during A&M's bid to construct the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF), which aims to research human, zoonotic and foreign animal diseases, such as Q fever.
A month after officials with the CDC investigated the late reporting of the bioterriorism agent brucella in April, officials with the Department of Homeland Security arrived on campus to explore the possibility of A&M hosting the NBAF.
The sites vying for the location will be narrowed down through an environmental impact statement by the end of this month, possibly while the current CDC investigation is under way.
Symptoms of Q fever include high fevers, a sore throat, severe headaches, vomiting and abdominal and chest pain. Most will recover within several months and 1 percent to 2 percent of those infected with Q fever die.
Chronic Q fever, an infection that lasts more than six months results in approximately a 65 percent fatality rate.
Hammond said the two investigations signify a larger issue.
"It indicates that there are severe problems in the biological research program and that there needs to be a serious shake-up in their accident reporting and legal compliance," Hammond said.
Sunshine Project investigates other universities as well. "I have found similar accidents at other universities, so Texas A&M is certainly not alone in having this kind of event happen. What is unique so far is that I can demonstrate Texas A&M failed to report the accidents," Hammond said.
Hammond said Texas is lucky to have the Texas Public Information Act, and if other states had the same access, similar incidents would be reported.
"In a sense Texas A&M is being singled out here but that doesn't change the fact that they also violated the law," Hammond said.
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