What are the 4 top agents used for potential bioterrorism?
What are the 4 top agents used for potential bioterrorism?
Clinical Features of High-Priority Agents. Four category A diseases have been the focus of the CDC’s efforts to educate the healthcare community about bioterrorism potential: anthrax, botulism, plague, and smallpox.
What is bioterrorism CDC?
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.
Has there ever been bioterrorism?
This incident was the first known bioterrorist attack in the United States in the 20th century. It was also the single largest bioterrorism attack on U.S. soil. In June 1993, the religious group Aum Shinrikyo released anthrax in Tokyo. Eyewitnesses reported a foul odor.
How do you prepare for bioterrorism?
To prepare:
- Build an Emergency Supply Kit.
- Make a Family Emergency Plan.
- Check with your doctor to make sure everyone in your family has up-to-date immunizations.
Which bioterrorism threat agents can be found commonly in the United States?
These high-priority agents include organisms or toxins that pose the highest risk to the public and national security:
- Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis)
- Botulism (Clostridium botulinum toxin)
- Plague (Yersinia pestis)
- Smallpox (variola major)
- Tularemia (Francisella tularensis)
Which country has biological weapons?
Seventeen countries have had or are suspected of currently having a biological weapons programme. They include Canada, China, Cuba, France, Germany, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Libya, North Korea, Russia, South Africa, Syria, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Is the US prepared for bioterrorism?
Reports reveal that we are not well-prepared to deal with a terrorist attack that employs biological weapons. As was done in response to the nuclear threat, the medical community should educate the public and policy makers about the threat.
Who does the CDC say is at the highest risk for contracting anthrax?
Workers who could be at risk include mail handlers (if spores are sent through the mail), law enforcement personnel, healthcare workers, decontamination workers, and critical infrastructure workers who could be exposed to airborne (aerosolized) spores, depending on how the spores were spread.
Who started biological warfare?
One of the first recorded uses of biological warfare occurred in 1347, when Mongol forces are reported to have catapulted plague-infested bodies over the walls into the Black Sea port of Caffa (now Feodosiya, Ukraine), at that time a Genoese trade centre in the Crimean Peninsula.
How do you stop bioterrorism?
Depending on the situation, wear a face mask to reduce inhaling or spreading germs. If you have been exposed to a biological agent, remove and bag your clothes and personal items. Follow official instructions for disposal of contaminated items. Wash yourself with soap and water and put on clean clothes.
What are the three types of biological agents that can be weaponized?
Biological weapons can be directed against crops and livestock, in addition to humans….Examples of category B agents include:
- brucellosis.
- Q fever.
- ricin toxin.
- cholera.
What are the four types of biological weapons?
Among the agents deemed likely candidates for biological weapons use are the toxins ricin, staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), botulinum toxin, and T-2 mycotoxin and the infectious agents responsible for anthrax, brucellosis, cholera, pneumonic plague, tularemia, Q fever, smallpox, glanders, Venezuelan equine …
How can you protect yourself against biological warfare?
Available protective equipment include respiratory protective devices, full face protective masks and surgical masks for respiratory protection, battle dress overgarments, protective gloves and overboots for skin protection. Full protection is needed when the agent has not been identified.
What went wrong with the anthrax vaccine?
After getting a shot of anthrax vaccine, you may have: Tenderness, redness, itching, or a lump or bruise where the shot is given. Muscle aches or short-term trouble moving your arm. Headaches or fatigue.
Is anthrax a man made virus?
Anthrax is a rare infectious disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Anthrax occurs naturally around the world in wild and domestic hoofed animals, especially cattle, sheep, goats, camels and antelopes.
Does the United States have biological weapons?
President Richard M. Nixon issued his “Statement on Chemical and Biological Defense Policies and Programs” on November 25, 1969 in a speech from Fort Detrick. The statement officially ended all U.S. offensive biological weapons programs.
Which biological agent can be used in bioterrorism?
These include Clostridium botulinum toxin, Clostridium perfringens toxin, Salmonella species, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Shigella, and Staphylococcal enterotoxin B. The one that is most dangerous and most likely to be used in bioterrorism is Clostridium botulinum toxin, which causes botulism.
