Bioterrorism Specimen Collection

State Public Health Laboratory

The State Public Health Laboratory has prepared specimen collection guidelines for bacteria or viruses that might be used in a bioterrorism event. These guidelines are specific to specimen collection during a suspected bio-terrorism incident as determined by the Department of Health and Senior Services. It is important to remember that the available information will vary widely from one agent to another. For example, we have extensive specimen collection and transport information available for anthrax but scant information available for smallpox. These guidelines will be updated as more information becomes available on various organisms.

Guideline Layout

• Each page is devoted to one agent, such as anthrax, and includes information about specimen collection and transport.
• The header for each page includes the revision date and contact telephone numbers for the laboratory plus a 24 hour 800 number for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
• The specimen collection guidelines are separated into the following categories:
  • Clinical
  • Reference Cultures
  • Environmental Samples
  • Testing
  • Reporting

If an event should occur, check the revision date on any information you might have printed against the revision date of the material currently available at this site. When updates are posted, the revision date will be changed.