Bioterrorism Agent

•  A laboratory having an active microbial surveillance and monitoring program
•  Vigilant technologists looking for a disease that does not occur naturally in a particular geographic region (eg: Plague in New York city); is transmitted by an aerosol route of infection; is a single case of disease caused by an unusual agent (eg: Burkholderia mallei usually only seen in the far east); Good communication with infection control practitioners, infectious disease Physicians and local or regional public health laboratories.

Ans. is ‘a’ i.e., Ebola, ‘b’ i.e. Yersinia, ‘c’ i.e. C. botulinum

Bioterrorism

.    A bioterrorism attack is the delibrate release of viruses, bacteria or other germs ( agents) used to cause illness or death in people, animals or plants. These agents are typically found in nature, but it is possible that they could be changed to increase their ability to cause disease, make them resistant to current medicines or to increase their ability to be spread into the environment. Biological agents can be spread through the air, through water or in food. Terrorists may use biological agents because they can be extermely difficult to detect and do not cause illness for several hours to several days. Some bioterrorism agents, like the small pox virus, can be spread from person to person and some like anthrax, cannot.

Bioterrorism agent categories

Category A

.   These high priority agents include organisms or toxins that pose the highest risk to the public and national security because:

i)         They can be easily spread or transmitted from person to person.

ii)       They result in high death rates and have potential for major public health impact.

iii)      They might cause public panic and social disruption.

iv)     They require special action for public health preparedness.

Category B

.  These agents are second highest priority because:

i)         They are moderately easy to spread.

ii)       They result in moderate illness rates and low death rates.

iii)      They require specific enhancements of CDC’s laboratory capacity and enhanced disease monitoring. Category C

.    These third highest priority agents include emerging pathogens that could be engineered for mass spread in the future because:

i)         They are easily available.

ii)       They are easily produced and spread.

iii)      They have potential for high morbidity and mortality rates and major health impact.

CDC Category A, B, and C Agents

Category A

Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis)

Botulism (Clostridium botulinum toxin)

Plague (Yersinia pestis)

Smallpox (Variola major)

Tularemia (Francisella tularensis)

Viral hemorrhagic fevers

Arenaviruses : Lassa, New World (Machupo, Junin, Guanarito, and Sabia)

Bunyaviridae : Crimean Congo, Rift Valley

Filoviridae : Ebola, Marburg

Flaviviridae : Yellow fever; Omsk fever; Kyasanur Forest Category B

Brucellosis (Brucella spp.)

Epsilon toxin of Clostridium perfringens

Food safety threats (e.g., Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli 0157:H7, Shigella)

Glanders (Burkholderia mallei)

Melioidosis (B. 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 (e.g., Venezuelan, eastern, and western equine encephalitis)]

Water safety threats (e.g. Vibrio cholerae, Cryptosporidium parvum) Category C

Emerging infectious diseases threats such as Nipah, hantavirus, and SARS coronoavirus.

Ans. is ‘c’ i.e., Salmonella

   Salmonella belongs to CDC category B.

Ans. is ‘a’ i.e., Cholera

Ans: A i.e. Plague (Yersinia pestis)

Category A: Category A agents are the highest-priority pathogens. They pose the greatest risk to national security. They include:

• Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis)
• Botulism (Clostridium botulinum toxin)
• Plague (Yersinia pestis)
• Smallpox (Variola major)
• Tularemia (Francisella tularensis)
• Viral hemorrhagic fevers
• Arenaviruses: Lassa, New World (Machupo, Junin, Guanarito, and Sabia)
• Bunyaviridae: Crimean Congo, Rift Valley
• Filoviridae: Ebola, Marburg

Ans. Chicken pox

Ans. is ‘a’ i.e., Plague

Bioterrorism

• A bioterrorism attack is the deliberate release of viruses, bacteria, or other germs (agents) used to cause illness or death in people, or plants. These agents are typically found in nature, but it is possible that they could be changed to increase their ability to cause disease, make them resistant to current medicine, or to increase their ability to be spread into the environment. Biological agents can be spread through the air, through water, or in food. Terrorists may use biological agents because they can be extremely difficult to detect and do not cause illness for several hours to several days. Some bioterrorism agents, like the smallpox virus, can be spread from person to person and some, like anthrax, can not.

Bioterrorism Agent Categories

• Bioterrorism agents can be separated into three categories, depending on how easily they can be spread and the severity of illness or death they cause. Category A agents are considered the highest risk and Category C agents are those that are considered emerging threats for disease.

Category A

• These high-priority agents include organisms or toxins that pose the highest risk to the public and national security because:

1. They can be easily spread or transmitted from person to person
2. They result in high death rates and have the potential for major public health impact.
3. They might cause public panic and social disruption
4. They require special action for public health preparedness.

Category B

• These agetns are the second highest priority because

1. They are moderately easy to spread
2. They result in moderate illness rates and low death rates
3. They require specific enhancements of CDC’s laboratory capacity and enhanced disease monitoring. Category C

• These third highest priority agents include emerging pathogens that could be engineered for mass spread in the future because:

1. They are easily available
2. They are easily produced and spread
3. They have potential for high morbidity and mortality rates and major health impact.

Ans:D.)Zoonotic Disease and Agent for terrorism.
The micro-organism shown in the photomicrograph above is Bacillus anthracis.

Anthrax

• It is a zoonotic disease caused by Bacillus anthracis
• It is primarily a disease of herbivorous – goats, sheep, cattle, horses etc.
• Human become infected incidentally by contact with infected animals or their products.
• B. anthracis is among the category A pathogens (ie the highest priority pathogens) for bioterrorism.
• Antibiotic therapy is effective in humans, and ciprofloxacin is recommended for the treatment. For prophylaxis ciprofloxacin or doxycycline should be given.
• Bacillus anthracis is very large, Gram-positive, spore-forming rod .
• Microscopic Features:The cells have characteristic squared ends. The endospores are ellipsoidal shaped and located centrally in the sporangium. The spores are highly refractile to light and resistant to staining.
• Mc Fadyean’s reaction is characteristic of Bacillus anthracis.