Bio-Scare in Rio as Bandits Steal Bacteria Samples

Yahoo ^ | 11-21-2003 | Yahoo/Reuters

[buffyt]

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters) - Brazilian (news - web sites) authorities urged residents of Rio de Janeiro on Friday to be careful after lab samples of cholera and typhoid fever were stolen with a biologist's car.

Doctors and police in the Brazilian city said the bacteria had been securely packed and represented no risk if not opened, but acknowledged the samples could be dangerous if removed from the package.

Silvio Valle, a biosecurity expert with the government's Fiocruz research institute, graded the biohazard of the stolen material as two on a scale of four in televised comments, asking viewers to contact Fiocruz immediately if they found the box of samples.

A Fiocruz biologist was taking the samples to a conference in a neighboring state when she was carjacked at gun point on Thursday night.

Police said they found the stolen car in the early hours on Friday inside a shantytown, but without the samples in it.

Still, they said the criminals had obviously been after the car and did not know about the bacteria.

Armed robberies are frequent in crime-ridden Rio, which is one of the world's most violent cities.

Over the past five years, Brazil has reported small outbreaks of cholera, an acute infectious intestinal disease that can kill if not treated properly. Shots for typhoid fever, which also can be life-threatening, are recommended to travelers going to Brazil.

[buffyt]

My father had typhoid fever when he was a kid, and it nearly killed him. That was in about 1930.

[buffyt]

I have been to Brazil and it is wild enough without the fear of bio-terror.

[Semper Paratus]

Probably think that got some flan.

[TonyInOhio]

Note to self: Take the anthrax out of the trunk.

[lelio]

graded the biohazard of the stolen material as two on a scale of four

Is 1 or 4 imminent death? Oh wait 2's in the middle. I never knew there was a "biohazard scale."

[concerned about politics]

Police said they found the stolen car in the early hours on Friday inside a shantytown, but without the samples in it.

Oh man. The guys probably already snorted it thinking it was cocain or something. Their 'trip' is going to be a real bummer.

Let's hope they stay hidden for a while. If they die first, it could still be contained. That sounds cold, but it's better than a massive outbreak if they were dumb enough to open and sniff the stuff!

[Lee Heggy]

Hey man! Pablo! we really scored! whoa! look at this! Uh..you think we should try some first? Looks like some kind of pharmacia stuff dude...

[Ribeye]

BioHazard Danger Scale Examples

Level 1:
Influeza, Samolnella, Giardia, Oki-dog Farts (pickeled cabbage, chili, onion and hot dog burritos from Oki-dog's in Los Angeles)

Level 2:
Cholera, Typhus, a Korean resaurant bathroom after exessive consumption of kimchee, boiled eggs and beer

Level 3:
Anthrax, Staphylococcus Aureus, Chlorine Gas, Ted Kennedy's breath after his 3rd breakfast helping of Raisin Bran w/Scotch

Level 4:
Ebola, Serin nerve agents, Bill Clinton Saliva Sample

[genefromjersey]

I'm glad the police are so laid-back about the matter !

For general information purposes, there is ( and has been for some time ) a small but active al-Qaeda cell operating in the jungles and backwoods areas of Brazil. They have been doing "missionary work" among the local Indians: many of whom hate the whites with a passion.