number of occasions, it was reported by local officials that the CDC hung up on them mid-conversation. Local officials were similarly unable to get any help from other federal agencies that may have concurrent authority to investigate and/or remediate the biohazardous substances found at the Reedley Biolab.[1]
Ultimately, local officials contacted their local Member of Congress, Representative Jim Costa, asking him for help obtaining federal assistance. It was only then, following Congressman Costa’s advocacy on Reedley’s behalf, that the CDC responded to California state government and local official requests.
After significant effort, local officials were able to convince the CDC to inspect the Reedley Biolab. CDC arrived on site on May 2, 2023 and finished the onsite support on May 4. Upon reviewing the site, the CDC reported, based on existing labels, that the facility contained “at least 20 potentially infectious agents,” including HIV, Tuberculosis, and the deadliest known form of Malaria. The CDC specifically listed the following pathogens:[2]
Potentially infectious bacterial agents present:
- Chlamydia trachomatis
- E. coli (recombinant strains)
- Helicobacter pylori
- Mycobacterium tuberculosis
- Mycoplasma pneumoniae and general Mycoplasma species
- Neisseria meningitidis
- Nostoc species
- Sphingobacterium heparinum
- Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus species
- Toxoplasma gondii
Potentially infectious viral agents:
- Hepatitis B virus
- Hepatitis C virus
- Dengue virus
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) 1 and 2
- Human Herpes virus 1 (Herpes simplex virus)
- Human Herpes virus 5 (Human Cytomegalovirus)
- Respiratory Syncytial virus
- Rubella virus
- Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)
Potentially infectious parasites:
- Malaria (believed to be P. falciparum from Nigeria from the year 2000)
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