Biosensors, the newest way to detect a bio-terrorism attack

Here is a great article about new jellyfish sensors are being tested to rapidly detect an attack using bio-threat agents.

New Rapid Detection of B.anthracis spores

There has been a growing concern in our society about terrorism, and among chief concerns with microbiologists is bio-terrorism. The preparedness and response associated with this topic is a critical issue to all city and state governments. So it is no surprise that there is a high demand for the rapid detection of the causative agents associated with this form of terrorism. The principle agent of concern is B.anthracis because of use against civilian populations in 2001, and its previous military research into weaponization. There is currently a new rapid detection method for first responders that focuses on the detection of B.anthracis spores, and the article can be found here: http://www.veritide.com/veritide/news/. Also, if you are interested in the product the insert can be found here: http://www.veritide.com/content/library/Ceeker_Datasheet_Veritide.pdf.

It looks as if this is by no means a replacement for the microbiology of identifying B.anthracis, (even with advent of RT-PCR and other rapid detection methods, the microbiology still remains the “gold standard”), however it seems to provide a handy tool for first responders to a scene of a potential attack.
Being a microbiology blog I figured we could go over some of the principle sentinel identification over this fascinating bug, and delve into a little bit of history.
B.anthracis is the causative agent of anthrax and is primarily a disease of domestic and wild animals. There are generally three types of clinical presentations with B.anthracis: Inhalational, cutaneous, and gastro-intestinal. Prior to the 2001 terrorist attacks 18 cases of natural inhalational anthrax had been recorded in the US since 1900 (ie not many!), with 99% of naturally occurring cases due to cutaneous.
In the micro-lab, B.anthracis is a gram positive, non-motile rod. The main characteristics of sentinel rule out of B.anthracis are related to its gram stain: Long chains of thin, gram positive rods, with possible spore formations.

Colony morphology: colonies on TSA 5% sheeps blood have an irregular rough shape (sometimes described as ground glass), have a white/grey pigment, and are non hemolytic (which is key). The colonies tend to have a tenacity on the plate when teased with a loop that stand up like a beaten egg white.

Catalase: Positive
And Motility: Non-motile
Overall, the likelihood of encountering B.anthracis in the lab are slim at best, however it is good to be prepared, and all clinical laboratorians should be prepared and understand what their procedures are for the rapid reporting to the local health authorities. Of course this blog by no means is a reference point for the identification of this organism, it is meant to simply convey interesting news about the development of technology associated with an interesting and newsworthy microorganism. Any thoughts out there? I am sure that in the coming years with more techniques and developments encountered that the world can be a little bit safer thanks to all us microbiologists. More information can be found on the CDC website and at your local health authorities.