Prepared for Biological Terrorism?

In a Cyberounds program entitled, "Bioterrorism and the Emergency Department" by Martin Carey, M.D., the ability of a physician to suspect, identify and appropriately respond to a biological agent exposure is explored.

In narrowing possible agents, Carey quotes Col. Gerald Parker, commander of the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, as having stated "An effective biological weapon has to be able to be produced in large enough quantities; it has to have the ability to infect large numbers of individuals; it has to remain stable when stored; and it has to retain virulence after aerosol dissemination." (made at a bioterrorism symposium in Arlington VA, February 1999).

While NATO has identified some 31 biological agents that could have the potential for use as biological weapons, Dr. Carey lists the top four (based on the likely ease of production and distribution): smallpox, plague, anthrax and botulism. Carey further narrows possible candidates to anthrax and smallpox, which can be produced reliably, are reasonably easy to aerosolize and are relatively resistant to destruction. This makes them ideal candidates to be used as biological weapons (other agents high on the list of possibilities include tularemia, glanders, typhus, Q fever, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, Marburg and influenza viruses).

How much do you know about these? In future of editions of this e-newsletter we'll explore recognition, treatment and precautions in dealing with some of these entities as potential biological terrorism agents.

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