Table of Contents
What are the biological agents of diseases?
Biological agents include bacteria, viruses, fungi, other microorganisms and their associated toxins. They have the ability to adversely affect human health in a variety of ways, ranging from relatively mild, allergic reactions to serious medical conditions—even death.
What are the types of biological warfare agents?
Agents
- Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis)
- Arenavirusesplus icon. Treatment & Infection Control.
- Bacillus anthracis (Anthrax)
- Botulism (Clostridium botulinum toxin)
- Brucella species (brucellocis)plus icon. Surveillance & Investigation.
- Burkholderia mallei (glanders)
- Burkholderia pseudomallei (melioidosis)
- Cholera (Vibrio cholerae)
Which biological agent can be treated with antibiotics?
Anthrax can be treated in its earliest stages with penicillin (often delivered intravenously), tetracycline, ciprofloxacin or doxycycline. Evidence of antibiotic effectiveness comes from use in human and animals infected with Ba. anthracis.
What is disease warfare called?
Biological warfare, also known as germ warfare, is the use of biological toxins or infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, insects, and fungi with the intent to kill, harm or incapacitate humans, animals or plants as an act of war.
What are biological threats?
A biologic threat is an infectious disease with the potential to spread and cause an outbreak. Infectious diseases are illnesses caused by germs (such as bacteria and viruses). Biologic threats may spread naturally, as in a worldwide flu outbreak or be released intentionally in a bioterrorism attack.
What are hazardous biological agents?
They include bacteria, viruses, fungi (including yeasts and moulds) and internal human parasites (endoparasites). The majority of these agents are harmless however some may have potential to cause ill health.
What are chemical and biological agents?
It defined chemical- warfare agents as including “all substances employed for their toxic effects on man, animals and plants”, and biological-warfare agents as those “that depend for their effects on multiplication within the target organism, and that are intended for use in war to cause disease or death in man.
What are bioterrorism agents?
Bioterrorism agents are pathogenic organisms or biological toxins that are used to produce death and disease in humans, animals, or plants for terrorist purposes.
What is bioterrorism agent?
How many biological agents are there?
How Are Biological Agents Delivered and Detected? Although there are more than 1,200 biological agents that could be used to cause illness or death, relatively few possess the necessary characteristics to make them ideal candidates for biological warfare or terrorism agents.
What is biological terrorism?
Español (Spanish) A biological attack, or bioterrorism, is the intentional release of viruses, bacteria, or other germs that can sicken or kill people, livestock, or crops. Bacillus anthracis, the bacteria that causes anthrax, is one of the most likely agents to be used in a biological attack.
What is meant by biological agent?
A substance that is made from a living organism or its products and is used in the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of cancer and other diseases. Biological agents include antibodies, interleukins, and vaccines. Also called biologic agent and biological drug.