Bioterrorism Research Paper

Bioterrorism: How it Relates to the Health Field

Bioterrorism is an increasing problem that we are faced with into today’s society, with one of the more recently known outbreaks being Ebola virus hemorrhagic fever. Bioterrorism is defined as an attack on humans, plants, and animals that is caused by deliberately released viruses, bacteria, or other germs called agents to cause illness or death. Bioterrorism has many dangers that affect health care, and several ways we can confront and eliminate bioterrorism as well with several federal programs in place to help with the preparedness of health care facilities. There are also different types and categories of bioterrorism. There are three different categories of bioterrorism Category A being a high priority because they can be spread easily from person to person, have high mortality rate and affect public health, and the public has to be specially prepared. Category B which is fairly easy to spread, has low death rates, modest illness rate, and require specific enhancements of CDC’s laboratory capacity. Finally, there is Category C which is pathogens that could be engineered for bioterrorism because they are easy to obtain, easy to make and spread, and have the potential to have a high impact on society, and a possibly have

Salmonella species, staphylococcal enterotoxin B are both agents that cause food poisoning, and influenza virus which causes influenza. Anthrax is one that can be prevented, but can be obtained by having contact with animals infected with bacillus anthracis and their products. Smallpox is not around anymore since it’s vaccine but it once was a bioterrorism disease that was caused by Variola major. Another disease is the black death from the middle ages that was caused by Yersinia pestis. Bioterrorism dates back to the middle ages, but it is still present today and