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Biodefense And Bioterrorism




Terrorism refers to the use or threat of force or violence against people or property. A bioterrorist attack releases viruses, bacteria, or other germs to cause illness or death. These biological agents are typically found in nature. But they can sometimes be made more harmful by increasing their ability to cause or spread disease, or to resist medical treatment.

Biological agents spread through the air, water or in food. They can be very hard to detect, and they don't cause illness for several hours or days. Some agents can also be spread from person to person. Scientists worry that anthrax, botulism, hemorrhagic fever viruses such as Ebola, plague, or smallpox could be used as biological agents.

Biodefense involves medical measures to protect people against biological agents. This means medicines and vaccinations. It also means medical research and preparations to defend against bioterrorist attacks.

Biodefense

Improving our nation’s defenses against bioterrorism is a key part of the U.S. government’s homeland security effort. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) supports activities to improve local and state public health systems, to expand existing biosurveillance efforts, and to fund research on medical countermeasures against potential bioterror agents.

Within HHS, medical research and product development is funded at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIAID is committed to accelerating development of medical tools to detect and counter the effects of a bioterrorist attack, including

  • Vaccines to immunize the public against diseases caused by bioterrorism agents
  • Diagnostic tests to help first responders and other medical personnel rapidly detect exposure and provide treatment
  • Therapies to help patients exposed to bioterrorism agents regain their health
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What is Bioterrorism?

A bioterrorism attack is the deliberate 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 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.

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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:

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

These agents are the second highest priority because:

  • They are moderately easy to spread
  • They result in moderate illness rates and low death rates
  • 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:

  • They are easily available
  • They are easily produced and spread
  • They have potential for high morbidity and mortality rates and major health impact.
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What can I do to protect my family and myself?

Although there is little that you as an individual can do in advance to protect yourself from a bioterrorist attack, there is much we can do as a country. The best protection is a strong and prepared public health system; well-trained physicians and other medical personnel who can recognize an illness caused by a bioterrorist agent; coordinated planning between medical, public health, emergency management, and law enforcement personnel; and an informed public. Government agencies, health care institutions, and public health agencies can and are doing more to improve capacity to protect the public following a bioterrorist attack. We can all educate ourselves about this issue, make family preparations for a disaster, and find out ahead of time what our local communities suggest we do.

Careful planning and sufficient resources are critical for any response to an emergency, be it a natural disaster or a terrorist attack. Inquire about emergency plans for your children’s school or day care center. Consider becoming involved in your community emergency response team.

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What more can be done nationally and globally?

National and international institutions are working together to strengthen the public health infrastructure, to more effectively monitor the threat of biological weapons, to identify actions likely to prevent the proliferation of bioweapons, and develop a coordinated plan for monitoring the worldwide emergence of infectious diseases. Investment in the public health system is the best possible defense against any outbreak of infectious disease, whether natural or deliberate. Given the ease of travel and increasing globalization, an outbreak anywhere in the world should be considered a threat to all nations.

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Who do I contact regarding a possible exposure?

If you believe you have been exposed to an infectious bioagent or if you develop symptoms that you believe might be associated with such an exposure, immediately contact a physician. Your physician may choose to contact the local health department to determine the best course of action based on the circumstances of the exposure.

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Information obtained from National Institute of Health
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