- Ames strain
The Ames strain is one of 89 strains of the
anthrax bacterium ("Bacillus anthracis "). It was isolated from a diseased cow that died inTexas in 1981. [http://www.ph.ucla.edu/epi/bioter/anthraxamesnotiowa.html] Researchers at the time mistakenly believed the strain came fromAmes, Iowa and mislabeled the specimen.The Ames strain came to wide public attention in association with the
2001 anthrax attacks . Seven letters mailed to media outlets and US Senators onSeptember 18 ,2001 andOctober 9 ,2001 contained anthrax bacteria of this particular strain. This strain is a monomorphic disease, mutating slowly if at all.Because of its
virulence , the Ames strain is used by the United States as a "gold standard" for development ofvaccine s and testing their effectiveness, starting in the 1980s, after work on weaponizing the Vollum 1B strain ended and all weaponized stocks were destroyed after the end of the U.S.biological warfare program in 1969. [http://www.ph.ucla.edu/epi/bioter/anthraxmuddytrail.html]External links
* [http://www.ph.ucla.edu/epi/bioter/theamesstrain.html The Ames Strain]
* [http://www.ph.ucla.edu/epi/bioter/anthraxamesnotiowa.html One Anthrax Answer: Ames Strain Not From Iowa]
* [http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/dec01/s121501b.asp The Ames strain: What's in a name?]
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