Determination of Serum IgG Antibodies to Bacillus anthracis Protective Antigen in Environmental Sampling Workers Using a Fluorescent Covalent Microsphere Immunoassay

Details

• Personal Author:
  Biagini, Raymond E. ; MacKenzie, Barbara A. ; Page, Elena H. ; Sammons DL ; Smith JP ; Snawder, John E. ; Striley CAF
• Description:
  Aims: To evaluate potential exposure to Bacillis anthracis (Ba) spores in sampling/decontamination workers in the aftermath of an anthrax terror attack. Methods: Fifty six serum samples were obtained from workers involved in environmental sampling for Ba spores at the American Media, Inc. (AMI) building in Boca Raton, FL after the anthrax attack there in October 2001. Nineteen sera were drawn from individuals both pre-entry and several weeks after entrance into the building. Nine sera each were drawn from unique individuals at the pre-entry and follow up blood draws. Thirteen donor control sera were also evaluated. Individuals were surveyed for Ba exposure by measurement of serum Ba anti-protective antigen (PA) specific IgG antibodies using a newly developed fluorescent covalent microsphere immunoassay (FCMIA). Results: Four sera gave positive anti-PA IgG results (defined as anti-PA IgG concentrations the mean microg/ml anti-PA IgG from donor control sera (n = 13 plus 2 SD which were also inhibited 85% when the serum was pre-adsorbed with PA). The positive sera were the pre-entry and follow up samples of two workers who had received their last dose of anthrax vaccine in 2000. Conclusion: It appears that the sampling/decontamination workers of the present study either had insufficient exposure to Ba spores to cause the production of anti-PA IgG antibodies or they were exposed to anthrax spores without producing antibody. The FCMIA appears to be a fast, sensitive, accurate, and precise method for the measurement of anti-PA IgG antibodies. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Antibodies Antigens Bacterial Infections Biological Warfare Agents Environmental Exposure Environmental Pollution Microbiology Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Antibody-response Bacterial-infections Biological-warfare-agents Biological-weapons Decontamination Environmental-contamination Environmental-exposure Microorganisms Sampling Sampling-equipment Serological-techniques Worker-health

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• ISSN:
  1351-0711
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DART - Division of Applied Research and Technology
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  61
• Issue:
  8
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20025409
• Citation:
  Occup Environ Med 2004 Aug; 61(8):703-708
• Contact Point Address:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Division of Applied Research and Technology, Mail Stop C-26, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226
• Email:
  rbiagini@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2004
• NORA Priority Area:
  Research Tools and Approaches: Exposure Assessment Methods
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:fe5e9f6ea985dfafe74debed8030777eb8be416ee920353268babba5c0938ccdbd9fe4a82f35eaf7c6cd4aeaef8ea8a04c75564cbb55ca108530ad2ec5ceafb1
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/196796/cdc_196796_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 175.36 KB ]