Dead in Love

by Colby Van Wagoner

  The end of the week Dennis was taking the members through the Bio-safety Level 1 zone, dressed in full bio-suits. They were able to communicate through wireless microphone headsets and Dennis was leading the discussions, “Bio-containment can be classified by the relative danger to the surrounding environment as biological safety levels.”

  “As of 2006, there are four safety levels. These are called BSL1 through BSL4, with one anomalous level BSL3-ag for agricultural hazards between BSL3 and BSL4. Facilities with these designations are also sometimes given as P1 through P4 for Pathogen or Protection level, as in the term P3 laboratory. Higher numbers indicate a greater risk to the external environment.”

  “At the lowest level of bio-containment, the containment zone may only be a chemical fume hood. At the highest level the containment involves isolation of the organism by means of building systems, sealed rooms, sealed containers, personal isolation equipment commonly referred to as “space suits” and elaborate procedures for entering the room and decontamination procedures for leaving the room. This is what we are in, at the present moment. In most cases, this also includes high levels of security for access to the facility, ensuring that only authorized personnel may be admitted to any area that may have some effect on the quality of the containment zone. This is considered a hot zone.”

  “This level is suitable for work involving well-characterized agents not known to consistently cause disease in healthy adult humans and of minimal potential hazard to laboratory personnel and the environment. It includes several kinds of bacteria and viruses including canine hepatitis, non-pathogenic Escherichia coli, as well as some cell cultures and non-infectious bacteria.”

  “At this level precautions against the bio-hazardous materials in question are minimal, most likely involving gloves and some sort of facial protection. The laboratory is not necessarily separated from the general traffic patterns in the building. Work is generally conducted on open bench tops using standard microbiological practices. Usually, contaminated materials are left in open, but separately indicated waste receptacles.”

  Dennis pointed out the various testing units and waste receptacles he was discussing. After the tour, he led them to the exit and walked each of the members of the group through the decontamination process. “Decontamination procedures for this level are similar in most respects to modern precautions against everyday microorganisms, washing one’s hands with anti-bacterial soap, washing all exposed surfaces of the lab with disinfectants, etc.”

  “In a lab environment, all materials used for cell and bacterial cultures are decontaminated via autoclave. Laboratory personnel have specific training in the procedures conducted in the laboratory and are supervised by a scientist with general training in microbiology or a related science.”

  After lunch, the members of the group finished exploring the remaining training material Dennis was presenting. He stood at the front of the conference room and started the remaining training, “Bio-safety Level 2, this level is similar to Bio-safety Level 1 and is suitable for work involving agents of moderate potential hazard to personnel and the environment. It includes various bacteria and viruses that cause only mild disease to humans, or are difficult to contract via aerosol in a lab setting, such as C. difficile, most Chlamydiae, hepatitis A, B, and C, influenza A, Lyme disease, dengue fever, Salmonella, mumps, measles, HIV, scrapie, MRSA, and VRSA. Genetically modified organisms have also been classified as level 2 organisms, even if they pose no direct threat to humans. This designation is used to limit the release of modified organisms into the environment.” “Approval by the FDA is required to release these organisms. An example is genetically modified food crops. BSL-2 differs from BSL-1 in that: laboratory personnel have specific training in handling pathogenic agents and are directed by scientists with advanced training; access to the laboratory is limited when work is being conducted; extreme precautions are taken with contaminated sharp items and certain procedures in which infectious aerosols or splashes may be created are conducted in biological safety cabinets or other physical containment equipment.”

  “Bio-safety level 3. This level is applicable to clinical, diagnostic, teaching, research, or production facilities in which work is done with indigenous or exotic agents which may cause serious or potentially lethal disease after inhalation. It includes various bacteria, parasites and viruses that can cause severe to fatal disease in humans but for which treatments exist, such as Leishmania donovani, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Bacillus anthracis, Chlamydophila psittaci, West Nile virus, Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, Eastern equine encephalitis virus, Hendra virus, SARS Coronavirus, Salmonella Typhi, Coxiella Burnetii, Rift Valley fever virus, Rickettsia Rickettsii and yellow fever virus.”

  Laboratory personnel have specific training in handling pathogenic and potentially lethal agents, and are supervised by competent scientists who are experienced in working with these agents. This is considered a neutral or warm zone. All procedures involving the manipulation of infectious materials are conducted within biological safety cabinets, specially designed hoods, or other physical containment devices, or by personnel wearing appropriate personal protective clothing and equipment.”

  “The laboratory has special engineering and design features. It is recognized, however, that some existing facilities may not have all the facility features recommended for bio-safety Level 3 i.e., double-door access zone and sealed penetrations. In this circumstance, an acceptable level of safety for the conduct of routine procedures, may be achieved in a bio-safety level 2 facility, providing the filtered exhaust air from the laboratory room is discharged to the outdoors, the ventilation to the laboratory is balanced to provide directional airflow into the room, access to the laboratory is restricted when work is in progress and the recommended standard microbiological practices, special practices and safety equipment for bio-safety level 3 are rigorously followed.”

  “This level is required for work with dangerous and exotic agents that pose a high individual risk of aerosol-transmitted laboratory infections, agents which cause severe to fatal disease in humans for which vaccines or other treatments are not available, such as Bolivian and Argentine hemorrhagic fevers, Marburg virus, Ebola virus, Lassa fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, smallpox and various other hemorrhagic diseases.”

  “When dealing with biological hazards at this level the use of a Hazmat suit and self-contained oxygen supply is mandatory. The entrance and exit of a level four bio-lab will contain multiple showers, a vacuum room, an ultraviolet light room and other safety precautions designed to destroy all traces of the biohazard. Multiple airlocks are employed and are electronically secured to prevent both doors opening at the same time. All air and water service going to and coming from a bio-safety level 4 lab will undergo similar decontamination procedures to eliminate the possibility of an accidental release.”

  “Members of the laboratory staff have specific and thorough training in handling extremely hazardous infectious agents and they understand the primary and secondary containment functions of the standard and special practices, the containment equipment, and the laboratory design characteristics. They are supervised by qualified scientists who are trained and experienced in working with these agents.”

  “Access to the laboratory is strictly controlled by the laboratory director. The facility is either in a separate building or in a controlled area within a building, which is completely isolated from all other areas of the building. A specific facility operations manual is prepared or adopted. Building protocols for preventing contamination often use negatively pressurized facilities, which, if compromised, would severely inhibit an outbreak of aerosol pathogens.”

  After the week long training and presentation, Dennis reported to General Raymond and Dr. Weiss about the feedback and reception from the officials of the Department of Defense. The meeting lasted over an hour and the general was left to decide what information he would disclose to the different departments and his director. He w
ould need to report the training results to his director and leave it at that. It was going to be a long couple of months and his ultimate decisions could make or break his career as a general.

  Chapter Five

  Night fell on the Dugway facility, it was a Friday night and many of the employees and the soldiers had left for the evening. A scientist, named Oswald Kerr, was working a long, 14 hour shift in the bio-safety level 3 lab. The automated room he was working in sounded an alarm, indicating his shift was being forced to end. Working overtime was strictly regulated and any person working longer than 14 hours was forced to end their shift.

  In ten minutes, the main power would shut off and only the auxiliary power would remain, powering the essential equipment used to contain the different compounds in the safety zone. Oswald began quickly finishing up his research by placing some of the vials and syringes into their receptacles. There was a cage holding a small, brown rat near his work area.

  Oswald finished containing and decontaminating various beakers and vials and placing them in specific storage compartments. He was overworked, tired and moving at a slower pace, trying to remain focused on his work and paying attention to each detail involved. The last detail in his cleanup was placing the lab rat back in a secured cage. He reached over and upon picking up the cage, failed to see the latch was slightly raised. He placed the container into another piece of equipment and turned to leave the room. The rat inside the container quickly opened the latch and slowly pushed open the door of the container. He sniffed the air around him, indicating the coast was clear for the escape.

  The rat made its way across the laboratory floor and towards the exit to the decontamination chamber. Oswald checked the room one last time and punched in the exit code from the bio-safety level 3 laboratory. The door opened and he stepped inside, unknowingly, along with the infected lab rat.

  His work was testing the OU2 compound on several various rat species, before being given the go ahead to move to larger primates. The rat walked into the decontamination room, after Oswald. The steam sprayed from the valves and suddenly, the power shut off. A voice came over the loudspeakers, “Warning, power cut off. Shift over, shift over. Please exit the laboratory.”

  The main power had been cut off and the auxiliary lighting kicked on. The lights were not very bright and the systems bio-warning detection warning was cut off as well, allowing for the rat to slip out, undetected. Oswald opened the remaining door of the decontamination room and exited, the rat slowly following behind him, just at his feet. It scampered across the locker room and through an open door, into the hallway of the main facility. Oswald removed his bio-suit and made his way through the locker room, to the hallway and towards the MP’s post.

  An MP was standing at his post and dipped his head towards Oswald as he passed by the MP. “Did you have another late night Oswald?” The MP asked.

  “Fourteen hours, time for some rest and relaxation, good night sir.” Oswald walked through the last of the double doors and into the lobby of the facility. The rat scurried across the lobby floor and paused at the exit. Oswald reached into his pocket, pulling out his keys and pushed open the door. The rat ran through the door and out into the parking lot.

  Oswald opened his car door and sat in the driver’s seat. He breathed a sigh of relief and was glad to finally be off for the next five days. However, this meant that no-one would know what his last work log would read, since he was forced to shut down early. Oswald figured that he was detailed in his shut down and would write up the log on his next shift. He might receive some discipline for his actions, but he was not allowed to go over on a fourteen hour shift.

  The rat made its way to the perimeter fence and easily scurried underneath. The desert was now his and he could wander for as long as he wanted. He was injected with the OU2 compound and would require no sleep, no water and little food. The Stansbury Mountains were just ahead of him. It was now time to move quickly, the rat’s senses were heightened and he moved slowly across the desert floor. The moon reflected on the dusty ground, his prints were left in the sand, as he walked from sagebrush to sagebrush bush.

  Hidden under one of the plants was a rattlesnake, waiting for a late night meal. The rat was so concerned about his present course that he failed to pick up the rattlesnakes position. At the last moment, the rattlesnake struck, missing the rat. In turn, the rat quickly pounced and attacked the snake, within seconds the rattlesnake was dead. The rat had bit the snake’s neck in two. The rat ate some of the snake meat and quickly moved on. Throughout the night, the rat made his way up the mountain side.

  The Stansbury Mountains occupied the biological transition zone, from the Great Basin to the Rocky Mountains. Much of the wilderness is alpine, with open basins and barren rocky ridges. From December through May, the upper elevations were covered in snow. Douglas-fir, alpine fir and aspen were commonly found growing on high north-facing slopes. Juniper, mountain brush, sagebrush and grass cover much of the lower terrain. Cattle were allowed to graze on range allotments, in portions of the area and cattle herders could be seen on the ranges, scattered all over the mountain.

  The summit of Deseret Peak offered a 360-degree view. Backpackers and a group of horse packers were enjoying this area. During the day, mule deer crossed the game trails looking for areas to graze. Some very steep terrain, traversed by the trails, allowed the horse packers to reach their destination for the evening. The South Willow Canyon was the most popular trailhead. Access was limited on the west, where the Skull Valley Goshute Reservation was adjacent to the wilderness. They chose an area where the horses would have fresh water and the ground was soft, ready to set up camp. The packers quickly set up camp and within the hour, had a large fire blazing.

  “Jeff, bring the cooler out so we can start cooking dinner.” Jeff stepped out from a large, colorful tent carrying a large camping cooler. He carefully sat the cooler, next to the chairs and began unpacking various tin foil dinners. Another couple was sitting in chairs, just in front of their tent.

  Jeff began to place the tin foil dinners into the coals and Max, who was the more experienced camper, reached into the cooler. “Hey, Jeff take one,” handing Jeff a can of beer, he always looked up to Jeff. Max reached back into the cooler and pulled out the remaining six packs. He pulled two more beers from the pack and tossed them at George and Melissa, “Heads up George!” George caught the beer at the last second and handed it to Melissa, barely catching the other one Max had tossed.

  “Hey man, take it easy. You almost hit me in the face.” George was laughing and jumped up from the chair. “Who wants to go night hiking?”

  “Let’s eat first and then talk about other activities, after dinner.” They all agreed and began to eat a dinner of steak cuts, potatoes, veggies and tomato sauce. Jeff was also a seasoned camper and aware of the various needs of cooking out on the mountain. Tin foils dinners for the first night and the remaining dinners, mostly perishable foods. Mostly grain and oatmeals for lunch, this would keep the foods from going bad.

  Later in the evening, George had ended up feeding the horses and checking their reins, ensuring they were securely tied to the trees. George and Melissa retired, early for the evening and Max and Jeff headed out for a night hike, up around one of the highest peaks. They arrived at the top of the peak and looked out over the valley. They could see the Dugway Proving Ground off in the distance and the town of Rush and Stockton to the east. The air was crisp and the distant lights flickered in the high altitude and cool air.

  “We should head back and get some sleep, it is going to be a long day tomorrow and we need all the rest we can get.” Max agreed and they returned to their camp. The three tents were zipped up and the fire was smoldering. The smoke went up into the air and faded into the night. Crickets and frogs were chirping and croaking all around the campsite, as the brush in the distance separated. The brown lab rat was making its way towards the tents. It scurried from sagebrush bush to bush and ended up near the horses. They
snorted and neighed at the presence of the rat.

  One of the horses stomped on the ground, where the rat was sniffing around. It scurried away from the horses and towards the tents. It stopped at the fire and placed its front paws on one of the rocks surrounding the fire pit. The rat raised its nose into the air and smelled the scents of the camp site.

  Quickly, catching the scent of humans, it let out a loud screech and headed towards the first tent. Reaching the first tent, the rat began scratching at the side of the tent. After a few minutes of scratching, Melissa woke up to the sound. She began catching her bearings and heard the scratching on the side of the tent, “George, wake up I hear something scratching on the tent.”

  George slowly woke up, sighed and whispered, “What is it? “

  Melissa raised her voice, “There’s something scratching the tent, it has stopped now, but I know I heard something.”

  George let out a disappointing moan and rolled back into his sleeping bag, “I don’t hear anything, just go back to sleep. It’s probably just a squirrel.”

  “I know what I heard and it was much louder than a fucking squirrel! Look, the cover over the tent has come loose.” Melissa rummaged through the gear and pulled out a flashlight. She turned it on and shined the light at the top of the tent. “See look, something has pulled the tent cover off of the tent. Do you think a squirrel could do that?”

  More scratching came from the side of the tent and suddenly George jumped from his sleeping bag. “Give me the flashlight. I’ll go take a look.” George was obviously now wide awake and in defensive mode. He unzipped the opening of the tent and stepped out, standing just outside. He shivered and started rubbing his hands up and down his arms, to get the circulation flowing. “It’s freezing out here.”