Fletcher J., Stack J.P., Dehne H.W., Moncrief I.

Microbial forensics is a scientific discipline devoted to analyzing evidence from a bioterrorist act, biocrime, or inadvertent release of a microorganism/toxin with a goal of attribution (Breeze et al. 2005), linking a pathogen and/or a perpetrator to a specific biocrime or bioterrorst act. Attribution includes identifying the microbe(s) involved (Breeze et al. 2005) as well as those responsible. The components of microbial forensics described by Breeze et al. include (1) detection and identification of a pathogen; (2) bioinformatics, including genome sequencing and genetic databases; (3) strain repositories for pathogens or microbes of interest as well as their near-neighbors; (4) validation and standardization of forensic methods; and (5) rigorous attention to quality assurance steps. Because forensic casework is subject to vigorous challenge in a court of law, the rigor of standardization and validation of experimental, analytical and application methods goes beyond levels that are normal for typical research and management activities.

Part of the Plant Pathology in the 21st Century book series (ICPP, volume 8)