Bioterrorism Agent
DEFINIITION:
- Bioterrorism is terrorism involving the intentional release or dissemination of biological agents.
- These agents are bacteria, viruses, fungi, or toxins, and may be in a naturally occurring or a human-modified form, in much the same way in biological warfare.
- Sentinel laboratories are mainly involved in Control of Bioterrorism
Category A
Definition
The U.S. public health system and primary healthcare providers must be prepared to address various biological agents, including pathogens that are rarely seen in the United States. High-priority agents include organisms that pose a risk to national security because they
- Can be easily disseminated or transmitted from person to person;
- Result in high mortality rates and have the potential for major public health impact;
- Might cause public panic and social disruption; and
- Require special action for public health preparedness.
Agents/Diseases
- Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis)
- Botulism (Clostridium botulinum toxin)
- Plague (Yersinia pestis)(highest potential)
- pox (variola major)
- Tularemia (Francisella tularensis)
- Viral hemorrhagic fevers, including
- Filoviruses (Ebola, Marburg)
- Arenaviruses (Lassa, Machupo)
Category B
Definition
Second highest priority agents include those that
- Are moderately easy to disseminate;
- Result in moderate morbidity rates and low mortality rates; and
- Require specific enhancements of CDC’s diagnostic capacity and enhanced disease surveillance.
Agents/Diseases
- Brucellosis (Brucella species)
- Epsilon toxin of Clostridium perfringens
- Food safety threats (Salmonella species, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Shigella)
- Glanders (Burkholderia mallei)
- Melioidosis (Burkholderia pseudomallei)
- Psittacosis (Chlamydia psittaci)
- Q fever (Coxiella burnetii)
- Ricin toxin from Ricinus communis (castor beans)
- Staphylococcal enterotoxin B
- Typhus fever (Rickettsia prowazekii)
- Viral encephalitis (alphaviruses, such as eastern equine encephalitis, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, and western equine encephalitis])
- Water safety threats (Vibrio cholerae, Cryptosporidium parvum)
Category C
Definition
Third highest priority agents include emerging pathogens that could be engineered for mass dissemination in the future because of
- Availability;
- Ease of production and dissemination; and
- Potential for high morbidity and mortality rates and major health impact.
Agents
- Emerging infectious diseases such as Nipah virus and hantavirus
Exam Important
Sentinel laboratories are mainly involved in Control of Bioterrorism
Category A bioterrorism agents are Ebola, Small pox, Botulism, Hemorrhagic fever, Yersinia & Clostridium botulinum
Cholera belongs to category-B of bioterrorism
Plague carries the highest potential for use as biological weapons for microbial bioterrorism
B. anthracis is an Agent for bioterrorism
