Bioterrorism:

The deliberate release of viruses, bacteria, toxins or other harmful agents used to cause
illness or death in people.
Three categories of agents.
Category A: These high-priority agents pose a risk to national security, can be easily
transmitted and disseminated, result in high mortality, have potential major public health
impact, may cause public panic, or require special action for public health preparedness.
Tularemia or "rabbit fever"

Anthrax
Small pox
Botulinum
Bubonic Plague
Viral Hemorrhagic fevers
o Ebola

Category B
Category B agents are moderately easy to disseminate and have low mortality rates.
Brucellosis (Brucella species)
Epsilon toxin of Clostridium perfringens
Food safety threats (for example, Salmonella species, E coli O157:H7, Shigella,
Staphylococcus aureus)
Glanders[26] (Burkholderia mallei)
Melioidosis (Burkholderia pseudomallei)
Psittacosis (Chlamydia psittaci)
Q fever (Coxiella burnetii)
Ricin[30] toxin from Ricinus communis (castor beans)
Abrin toxin from Abrus precatorius (Rosary peas)
Staphylococcal enterotoxin B
Typhus (Rickettsia prowazekii)
Viral encephalitis (alphaviruses, for example,: Venezuelan equine encephalitis,
eastern equine encephalitis, western equine encephalitis)
Water supply threats (for example, Vibrio cholerae, Cryptosporidium parvum)
Category C

Category C agents are emerging pathogens that might be engineered for mass
dissemination because of their availability, ease of production and dissemination, high
mortality rate, or ability to cause a major health impact.

Nipah virus
Hantavirus
SARS
H1N1 a strain of influenza (flu)
HIV/AIDS

Planning and response:

Preparedness

Detection and resilience strategies in combating bioterrorism

Implementation of the Generation-3 automated detection system
Enhancing the technological capabilities of first responders
Enhanced equipment for first responders

Medical countermeasures
Biosurveillance (RODS): Biosurveillance is the science of real-time
disease outbreak detection. Its principles apply to both natural
and man-made epidemics (bioterrorism).
Response:
Individuals
Be informed
Get a kit
Make a plan
Health System
Immediate Response: Hours 0 2
Assess the situation
Contact key health personnel
Develop initial health response objectives and establish an action plan
Ensure that the site health and safety plan (HASP) is established, reviewed,
and followed
Establish communications with key health and medical organizations

 Assign and deploy resources and assets to achieve established initial health
response objectives
Address requests for assistance and information
Initiate risk communication activities
Document all response activities
Intermediate Response: Hours 2 6

INITIATE THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES:

o 1. Verify that health surveillance systems are operational
o 2. Ensure that laboratories likely to be used during the response are
operational and verify their analytical capacity
o Ensure that the needs of special populations are being addressed
o Health-related volunteers and donations
o Update risk communication messages
Intermediate Response: Hours 6 12
o Collect and analyze data that are becoming available through health
surveillance and laboratory systems
o Prepare and update information for shift change and executive briefings
o Prepare for state and federal on-site assistance

o Assess health resource needs and acquire as necessary

Extended Response: Hours 12 24
o Address mental and behavioral health support needs
o Prepare for transition to extended operations or response disengagement
ONGOING PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY RESPONSE FUNCTIONS AND
TASKS