The U.S. federal agency responsible for disease control and prevention revealed that security lapses led to improper transfer of dangerous pathogens from laboratories in Atlanta to other labs. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the pathogens included botulism bacteria, anthrax and a virulent strain of an avian flu virus, according to the Washington Post.

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In a report, CDC officials disclosed that over the past decade there had been five incidents of potentially fatal pathogens being sent inappropriately to CDC laboratories.

The health agency's report included details of how the incidents occurred as a result of safety breaches in the labs. One such incident took place in June when more than 80 staff may have been exposed to live anthrax improperly sent from one CDC laboratory to other CDC labs.

CDC chief Thomas Frieden expressed disappointment and outrage, saying the incidents should never have occurred.

A separate incident happened in March, but Frieden said he learned about it only on Wednesday. 

He was referring to a case in which a flu virus sample contaminated with the highly dangerous H5N1 avian influenza virus was improperly transported from an Atlanta CDC laboratory to another federal lab in Athens, Georgia.

CDC staff found out about the contamination more than a month ago but did not report it to agency officials immediately. Frieden said the delay was unacceptable.

While assuring the public that no human infection had been reported from the incidents, Frieden acknowledged that they cast doubt on the CDC's ability to keep the American people safe.

An expert on bioterrorism, Michael Osterholm, said all the incidents were a cause for concern, but he discussed in particular the case of H5N1 virus cross-contaminating what according to him should have been a relatively harmless virus. Osterholm said exposing people to that type of contamination is a "really significant issue."

TagsAnthrax, Birdflu, CDC