The US Army has discovered another batch of live anthrax. According to Reuters, these anthrax spores are from a 2008 batch that was dispatched to Australia.

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Earlier in the week the Pentagon confirmed that live samples of Bacillus anthracis had been mistakenly shipped from an Army laboratory in Utah to about 18 laboratories in nine states, as well as labs in South Korea and Australia.

Department of Defense spokesman Col. Steven H. Warren revealed to NBC News that the shipments were made as part of a field-based test aimed at identifying and preparing for biological threats.

While the anthrax samples had reportedly been irradiated about seven years ago, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), experts have noted that the process may not have been able to kill all the strains of the virus. Nonetheless, the CDC has reassured the public that there is no immediate threat from the shipped anthrax samples.

Although no infections have been reported thus far, Pentagon officials have revealed that at least 26 people who came into contact with the shipments have received antibiotics. According to LA Times, the 26 people include four civilians, four Army contractors, one Navy and two Army civilians, as well as 10 Army officers and five members of the Air Force on active duty.

The CDC, the Department of Defense as well as other state and local agencies have initiated an investigation to determine if indeed live anthrax samples were sent to private laboratories. Officials have revealed that anthrax samples at the Army's biodefense facility in Dugway Proving Grounds are being tested to find out if they contain some live strains. Meanwhile, the laboratory has reportedly stopped all shipments of select agents to other laboratories.

Anthrax is regarded as one of the top bio-terrorism threats. Last year, the CDC was forced to temporarily shut down its anthrax and flu laboratories after live samples of the bacteria were sent to other CDC laboratories that were unequipped to handle them. According to the New York Times, up to 62 employees of the CDC who are believed to have come in contact with the live anthrax were all provided vaccination and antibiotics. 

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