Microbial Forensics

Bruce Budowle, Steven E. Schutzer, Roger G. Breeze, Paul S. Keim, Stephen A. Morse

• Publisher: Academic Press
• Year: 2010
• Edition: 2
• eBook ISBN:
  9780123820075
• Topic: Biological Sciences
• Subtopic: Forensic Science
• Index: Biological Sciences

Microbial Forensics is a rapidly evolving scientific discipline. In the last decade, and particularly due to the anthrax letter attacks in the United States, microbial forensics has become more formalized and has played an increasingly greater role in crime investigations. This has brought renewed interest, development and application of new technologies, and new rules of forensic and policy engagement. It has many applications ranging from biodefense, criminal investigations, providing intelligence information, making society more secure, and helping protect precious resources, particularly human life. A combination of diverse areas is investigated, including the major disciplines of biology, microbiology, medicine, chemistry, physics, statistics, population genetics, and computer science. Microbial Forensics, Second Edition is fully revised and updated and serves as a complete reference of the discipline. It describes the advances, as well as the challenges and opportunities ahead, and will be integral in applying science to help solve future biocrimes. - A collection of microbiology, virology, toxicology and mycology as it relates to forensics, in one reference - New and expanded content to include statistical analysis of forensic data and legal admissibility and the standards of evidence, to name a few - Includes research information and application of that research to crime scene analysis, which will allow practitioners to understand and apply the knowledge to their practice with ease

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Table of Contents
• Contributors
• Foreword
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction: The Rapidly Evolving Discipline of Microbial Forensics
• Chapter 1: The Kameido Anthrax Incident: A Microbial Forensics Case Study
• Chapter 2: Microbial Forensic Investigation of the Anthrax-Letter Attacks
• Chapter 3: Food-Borne Outbreaks: What’s New, What’s Not, and Where Do We Go from Here?
• Chapter 4: Genotype and Geography: The Global Distribution of Bovine Tuberculosis
• Chapter 5: Tracing Meat Products through the Production and Distribution Chain from Farm to Consumer
• Chapter 6: Microbial Forensics of RNA Viruses: Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus
• Chapter 7: Forensic Plant Pathology
• Chapter 8: Influenza Forensics
• Chapter 9: Keeping Track of Viruses
• Chapter 10: Microbial Forensic Analysis of Trace and Unculturable Specimens
• Chapter 11: Molecular Microbial Surveillance and Discovery in Bioforensics
• Chapter 12: Assessment of the Threat
• Chapter 13: Select Agent Regulations
• Chapter 14: Biosurety in the Post-9/11 Era
• Chapter 15: Forensic Public Health: Epidemiological and Microbiological Investigations for Biosecurity
• Chapter 16: Forensic Analysis in Bacterial Pathogens
• Chapter 17: Rickettsia and Coxiella
• Chapter 18: Forensics and Epidemiology of Fungal Pathogens
• Chapter 19: Ricin Forensics: Comparisons to Microbial Forensics
• Chapter 20: Forensic Aspects of Biological Toxins
• Chapter 21: Use of Host Factors in Microbial Forensics
• Chapter 22: Collection and Preservation of Microbial Forensic Samples
• Chapter 23: Sampling for Microbial Forensic Investigations
• Chapter 24: Toxin Analysis Using Mass Spectrometry
• Chapter 25: Electron Beam-Based Methods for Bioforensic Investigations
• Chapter 26: Proteomics Development and Application for Bioforensics
• Chapter 27: High-Throughput Sequencing
• Chapter 28: Genomics
• Chapter 29: Design of Genomic Signatures for Pathogen Identification and Characterization
• Chapter 30: Nonbiological Measurements on Biological Agents
• Chapter 31: Inferential Validation and Evidence Interpretation
• Chapter 32: Microbial Forensic Investigations in the Context of Bacterial Population Genetics
• Chapter 33: Population Genetic Considerations in Statistical Interpretation of Microbial Forensic Data in Comparison with Human DNA Forensic Standard
• Chapter 34: Biorepositories and Their Foundations—Microbial Forensic Considerations
• Chapter 35: A U.S. Research Strategy for Microbial Forensics: From Genesis to Implementation
• Chapter 36: The National Bioforensic Analysis Center
• Chapter 37: Microbial Forensics in Australia—The Australian Federal Police Perspective
• Chapter 38: Validation of Microbial Forensics in Scientific, Legal, and Policy Contexts
• Chapter 39: Microbial Forensics: Educating the Workforce and the Community
• Chapter 40: So You Really Want to Be an Expert Witness? A Primer for the Occasional Expert Witness
• Chapter 41: Microbial Forensics, What Next?
• Index