Richard J. Arsenault January 20th, 2011
Those who pay close attention to the world of foodborne illness are very familiar with a strain of Salmonella enterica known as Typhimurium. Salmonella enterica Typhimurium isn’t the most common serotype, but it can cause very serious illness when it is ingested by people and pets. While it is sometimes encountered in foods like ground beef, leafy greens and contaminated water, many are unfamiliar with its more dubious distinction of being the biological weapon used in the United States’ largest attack of bioterrorism in history.
In 1984, religious cult leader, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, was concerned about the intentions of The Dalles, Oregon’s city government to impose restrictions on the cult’s housing and building expansion plans. Followers of the cult came to a solution that still boggles a sane person’s mind.
The followers of Rajneesh decided that they would take over the city council by voting in their own candidates. Not crazy in itself, but when the candidates were faced with almost certain defeat because of a lack of local citizen support, they came up with a plan that was almost as dangerous as it was insane- simply poison the local townsfolk with Salmonella enterica Typhimurium. The cult members speculated that if most of the city fell violently ill, they simply would not vote, giving the Rajneesh candidates an advantage.
So in the months leading up to the elections, Salmonella was strategically placed in the salad bars of local buffets. Unwitting victims brought their families to the restaurants to be exposed to the Salmonella. In the end, 751 people were made ill, 150 violently ill with over 50 people requiring hospitalization. All victims were confirmed to have the same strain of Salmonella. Fortunately, there were no deaths from the bioterrorism attack, but the illnesses cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills and local restaurants lost thousands as residents were too terrified to eat out.
As the investigation delved deeper into the cult, two people close to the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh were held responsible for the bioterror attack and were eventually indicted for the poisoning of the citizens of The Dalles. The cult backed candidates withdrew and eventually the Rajneesh commune dissolved as the leader tried to flee the country.
Often when people think of bioterrorism, they are drawn to bio agents like anthrax or influenza. As strains of foodborne pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli become more resistant to treatment and more resistant to antibiotics, the repercussion of one of these pathogens being used as a weapon becomes very serious. And considering that Salmonella has already been used as an agent for terrorists, it is a weapon that should always be considered a dangerous possibility.
http://www.nbafoodadvocate.com/salmonella-and-bioterrorism-a-very-real-relationship-6490
Those who pay close attention to the world of foodborne illness are very familiar with a strain of Salmonella enterica known as Typhimurium. Salmonella enterica Typhimurium isn’t the most common serotype, but it can cause very serious illness when it is ingested by people and pets. While it is sometimes encountered in foods like ground beef, leafy greens and contaminated water, many are unfamiliar with its more dubious distinction of being the biological weapon used in the United States’ largest attack of bioterrorism in history.
In 1984, religious cult leader, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, was concerned about the intentions of The Dalles, Oregon’s city government to impose restrictions on the cult’s housing and building expansion plans. Followers of the cult came to a solution that still boggles a sane person’s mind.
The followers of Rajneesh decided that they would take over the city council by voting in their own candidates. Not crazy in itself, but when the candidates were faced with almost certain defeat because of a lack of local citizen support, they came up with a plan that was almost as dangerous as it was insane- simply poison the local townsfolk with Salmonella enterica Typhimurium. The cult members speculated that if most of the city fell violently ill, they simply would not vote, giving the Rajneesh candidates an advantage.
So in the months leading up to the elections, Salmonella was strategically placed in the salad bars of local buffets. Unwitting victims brought their families to the restaurants to be exposed to the Salmonella. In the end, 751 people were made ill, 150 violently ill with over 50 people requiring hospitalization. All victims were confirmed to have the same strain of Salmonella. Fortunately, there were no deaths from the bioterrorism attack, but the illnesses cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills and local restaurants lost thousands as residents were too terrified to eat out.
As the investigation delved deeper into the cult, two people close to the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh were held responsible for the bioterror attack and were eventually indicted for the poisoning of the citizens of The Dalles. The cult backed candidates withdrew and eventually the Rajneesh commune dissolved as the leader tried to flee the country.
Often when people think of bioterrorism, they are drawn to bio agents like anthrax or influenza. As strains of foodborne pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli become more resistant to treatment and more resistant to antibiotics, the repercussion of one of these pathogens being used as a weapon becomes very serious. And considering that Salmonella has already been used as an agent for terrorists, it is a weapon that should always be considered a dangerous possibility.
http://www.nbafoodadvocate.com/salmonella-and-bioterrorism-a-very-real-relationship-6490
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