The U.S. Postal Service is set to expand testing of a new system of biological agent detectors, a senior postal official said yesterday (see GSN, Dec. 18, 2002).

The system has undergone testing in Baltimore and will now be installed in 14 other cities for further evaluation, Postal Service Vice President for Engineering Tom Day said yesterday.  The detectors, which are installed on mail-handling equipment, use DNA testing to determine the presence of biological agents such as anthrax, he said.

“We have carefully reviewed its results and we are now confident that it is working successfully, Day said.

The new 30-day test is scheduled to begin June 1, according to the Associated Press.  Once the test is completed, the Postal Service will then decide whether to install the detectors at U.S. postal facilities throughout the country (Associated Press/Washington Post, April 10).

For further information, see:

CDC Frequently Asked Questions About Anthrax

Journal of the American Medical Association Background on Anthrax

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