Legionnaire's disease at lab releasing Foot&Mouth

IAH head of labs John Anderson said HPA results showed levels of Legionnaires' found were "insignificant".

He said the amounts could be considered background levels, and that the story was a "regrettable distraction".

Health inspectors are reportedly looking into the possibility that foot-and-mouth disease was originally transferred by employees at vaccine manufacturer Merial, also based at the Pirbright site.

The Institute was carrying out all necessary maintenance and monitoring work

Charges over 'cordon breach'

Dr Anderson said the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) collected samples from the Pirbright site on 18 July following a case of Legionella in a contractor.

The Health and Safety Executive has said there is a "strong probability" that the recent foot-and-mouth outbreak began at Pirbright.

But the HPA said there is no link between foot-and-mouth and Legionnaires'.

IAH director Martin Shirley said there was no evidence of a failure of biosecurity at its lab.

Prof Shirley said all foot-and-mouth virus was destroyed before it left its site, and even if that failed an effluent chemical treatment facility would kill the disease.

He said the amount of the virus used in vaccine production by Merial was one million times greater that used by the institute.

cont'd http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6938613.stm