"A biological agent is a bacterium, virus, protozoan, parasite, fungus, or toxin that can be used purposefully as a weapon in bioterrorism or biological warfare."
Biological Agents are microorganisms or toxins that can cause harm to human beings, animals, and the environment.
Biological Agents: This topic covers various biological agents that are used for biological warfare or bioterrorism, such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, spores, and toxins.
Containment and Decontamination: It refers to the measures taken to prevent the spread of biological agents and to clean up and decontaminate affected areas.
Detection and Identification: This topic covers the various methods used to detect and identify biological agents, such as microscopy, culture, biochemical tests, and molecular techniques.
Epidemiology: It is the study of the spread, incidence, and control of diseases in populations, including the transmission of biological agents.
Medical Management: It covers the medical treatment of individuals exposed to biological agents, including vaccines, antibiotics, and other medications.
Personal Protective Equipment: It refers to the equipment or clothing worn by individuals to protect themselves from exposure to biological agents, such as respirators, gloves, and suits.
Public Health Response: It involves the coordination of local, state, and federal agencies and organizations in responding to biological attacks and outbreaks.
Risk Assessment: It is the process of evaluating the likelihood and consequences of a biological attack or outbreak and its impact on individuals, communities, and the environment.
Surveillance: It refers to the ongoing monitoring of biological agents and their potential use for bioterrorism or biowarfare.
Threat Assessment: It is the evaluation of potential threats posed by individuals, groups, or countries that may seek to use biological agents for harmful purposes.
Bacteria: Single-celled microorganisms that can cause several diseases in humans and animals, such as anthrax, tuberculosis, and plague.
Viruses: Infectious agents that require a host cell to replicate and can cause serious illnesses like influenza, Ebola, and HIV/AIDS.
Fungi: Organisms that can cause skin infections, respiratory infections, and other diseases, such as candida or aspergillosis.
Toxins: Natural or human-made chemicals that can cause harm to the nervous system, respiratory system, or other organs in the body. Examples include botulinum toxin, ricin, and saxitoxin.
Prions: Infectious proteins that can cause degenerative brain diseases, such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and mad cow disease.
Parasites: Organisms that rely on another living organism for survival, such as malaria parasites or tapeworms.
"More than 1,200 different kinds of potentially weaponizable bio-agents have been described and studied to date."
"Some biological agents have the ability to adversely affect human health in a variety of ways, ranging from relatively mild allergic reactions to serious medical conditions, including serious injury, as well as serious or permanent disability or even death."
"Many of these organisms are ubiquitous in the natural environment where they are found in water, soil, plants, or animals."
"Bio-agents may be amenable to 'weaponization' to render them easier to deploy or disseminate."
"Genetic modification may enhance their incapacitating or lethal properties, or render them impervious to conventional treatments or preventives."
"Since many bio-agents reproduce rapidly and require minimal resources for propagation, they are also a potential danger in a wide variety of occupational settings."
"The 1972 Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) is an international treaty banning the development, use or stockpiling of biological weapons."
"As of March 2021, there were 183 States Parties to the BWC."
"Bio-agents are widely studied for both defensive and medical research purposes under various biosafety levels and within biocontainment facilities throughout the world."
"A biological agent can be used purposefully as a weapon in bioterrorism or biological warfare (BW)."
"In addition to these living or replicating pathogens, toxins and biotoxins are also included among the bio-agents."
"Exposure to bio-agents can lead to a range of outcomes, from relatively mild allergic reactions to serious injuries, disabilities, or even death."
"Genetic modification may enhance their incapacitating or lethal properties, or render them impervious to conventional treatments or preventives."
"Many of these organisms are ubiquitous in the natural environment where they are found in water, soil, plants, or animals."
"Bio-agents are widely studied for both defensive and medical research purposes under various biosafety levels and within biocontainment facilities throughout the world."
"The main objective of the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) is to ban the development, use, or stockpiling of biological weapons."
"Since many bio-agents reproduce rapidly and require minimal resources for propagation, they are also a potential danger in a wide variety of occupational settings."
"As of March 2021, there were 183 States Parties to the BWC."
"More than 1,200 different kinds of potentially weaponizable bio-agents have been described and studied to date."