Discovery of forgotten variola specimens at the National Institutes of Health in the USA

Abstract

In early July 2014, the National Institutes of Health in the USA discovered a few vials containing smallpox virus in their Bethesda, Maryland facility. The subsequent investigation, performed by US CDC, documented viable virus in two of the discovered vials that were subjected to tissue culture testing.

Keywords::

• cross contamination
• forgotten variola specimen
• small pox vaccine stock

Acknowledgements

While preparing this report the author remembers fully devoted contribution by small pox eradication teams with thankfulness. This time the author was also grateful to K Hayashi, International Office Kumamoto Medical Center for her examining collected report material as well as repeated preparation of manuscripts.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The author is the former director of Smallpox eradication at the WHO. The author has no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.