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Comparing Electronic News Media Reports of Potential Bioterrorism‐Related Incidents Involving Unknown White Powder to Reports Received by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Federal Bureau of Investigation: U.S.A. , 2009–2011
Author(s) -
Fajardo Geroncio C.,
Posid Joseph,
Papagiotas Stephen,
Lowe Luis
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of forensic sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.715
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1556-4029
pISSN - 0022-1198
DOI - 10.1111/1556-4029.12608
Subject(s) - white (mutation) , disease control , news media , public health , occupational safety and health , medical emergency , medicine , advertising , environmental health , political science , business , law , biochemistry , chemistry , nursing , gene
There have been periodic electronic news media reports of potential bioterrorism‐related incidents involving unknown substances (often referred to as “white powder”) since the 2001 intentional dissemination of B acillus anthracis through the U.S. Postal System. This study reviewed the number of unknown “white powder” incidents reported online by the electronic news media and compared them with unknown “white powder” incidents reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ) during a 2‐year period from June 1, 2009 and May 31, 2011. Results identified 297 electronic news media reports, 538 CDC reports, and 384 FBI reports of unknown “white powder.” This study showed different unknown “white powder” incidents captured by each of the three sources. However, the authors could not determine the public health implications of this discordance.