Anthrax Detection Agencies Need to Validate Sampling Activities in Order to Increase Confidence in Negative Results

By Rhodes, Keith A.

Book Id: WPLBN0000215583
Format Type: PDF eBook
File Size: 0.2 MB
Reproduction Date: 2005

Title:	Anthrax Detection Agencies Need to Validate Sampling Activities in Order to Increase Confidence in Negative Results
Author:	Rhodes, Keith A.
Volume:
Language:	English
Subject:	Government publications, Accountability in government, United States. General Accounting Office
Collections:	Government Library Collection, Government Accountability Integrity Reliability Office Collection
Historic Publication Date:
Publisher:	United States General Accounting Office (Gao)


Citation APA MLA Chicago Rhodes, K. A. (n.d.). Anthrax Detection Agencies Need to Validate Sampling Activities in Order to Increase Confidence in Negative Results. Retrieved from http://www.gutenberg.us/

Description
Government Accountability Integrity Reliability Office Collection

Excerpt
Excerpt: The U.S. Postal Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted several interdependent activities, including sample collection and analytic methods, to detect anthrax in postal facilities in 2001. They developed a sampling strategy and collected, transported, extracted, and analyzed samples. They primarily collected samples from specific areas, such as mail processing areas, using their judgment about where anthrax would most likely be found-that is, targeted sampling. The agencies did not use probability sampling in their initial sampling strategy. Probability sampling would have allowed agencies to determine, with some defined level of confidence, when all results are negative, whether a building is contaminated. This is important, considering that low levels of anthrax could cause disease and death in susceptible individuals.