Leaked Deadly Bacteria 'Burkholderia Psedeomallei' Could Endanger Public Health- Despite Reassurance from Officials

As yet another monkey at the Tulane National Primate Research Center showed signs of infection with a deadly bacterium that accidentally 'leaked', concerns over public health have resurfaced.

According to USA Today, the monkey was the fifth which was infected with the potentially fatal bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. After preliminary tests showed infection, the monkey was euthanized last month. Leak at the research center, near New Orleans, came to light after the first monkey showed symptoms of infection in November.

Besides the monkeys, a federal investigator also tested positive for the bacterium but where she was exposed, is not clear reported Reuters. She is said to be recovering.

Daily Mail reported that investigations into the leak are yet to reveal how it happened. The leak reportedly took place from a high security lab where a vaccine against bacterium is in the works. While rodents were being tested at the lab, the monkeys found infected were kept in a different part of the research facility. One theory is the monkeys may have become infected at the hospital facility where all of them were being treated.

USA Today also reports concerns raised by Louisiana state officials as infection of monkeys living outdoors in large cages indicates contamination of environment. Soil and water tests were conducted which did not reveal contamination. However, it is being contested that limited number of samples cannot rule out contamination by the bacterium which spreads through soil and water.