Results of triplicate analysis of 10-fold serial dilutions of DNA from B. anthracis strain A0442. The average cycle threshold values across the three replicates were as follows: 100 pg, 21.4; 10 pg, 24.7; 1 pg, 28.2; 100 fg, 31.2; 10 fg, 34.3. The average cycle threshold values for strains A0488 and A0462 were similar (data not shown), although amplification at the 10-fg level was not consistent.