Colorado State University Extension
SafeFood Rapid Response Network
SAFEFOOD NEWS - Fall 2001 - Vol 6, no. 1
Bioterrorism
The prospect of terrorists unleashing biological or chemical weapons through air, water or even food is a terrifying one, in part because of a fear of the unknown. CDC may not be able to predict the exact biological or chemical mechanism or location, but the agency's Bioterrorism Program is designed to help prepare for a deliberate attack so that the nation can respond quickly and reliably if an attack were to occur.
In the event of a bioterrorist attack, the first line of defense will be rapid identification of the agent so that exposure can be limited and those affected can be treated. To accomplish this, CDC has developed a rapid toxicology screen that can identify up to 50 different agents in a blood sample. (Soon, this screen will be able to identify up to 150 agents.) Regional and state laboratories have strengthened their capacity to detect different agents and to communicate the results to CDC and others. In a September 27, 2001, press release, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tommy Thompson was quoted as saying the US could respond within seven hours to either conventional or biological attack. Along the same lines, CDC's Health Alert Network (HAN) has upgraded the capacity of state and local health agencies to detect and communicate different health threats-including not only bioterrorism but also emerging infectious diseases, chronic diseases, and environmental hazards. This means that we reap the benefits of these investments every day, not just in the event of a bioterrorist attack.
Finally, to help treat victims of a bioterrorist attack, CDC has worked with pharmaceutical companies and other partners to created regional stockpiles of the drugs that would be needed quickly to treat man-made outbreaks of anthrax, plague, tularemia, or other diseases.
Collectively, these measures strengthen the existing public health system while preparing for a worst-case-scenario-one whose impact may be lessened by the steps we take today.
In 1999, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Donna E. Shalala summarized what we need to do to successfully contain and combat the threat of bioterrorism. To be successful we must address four important challenges:
- Be aware that an act of bioterrorism could happen.
- Be prepared.
- The public health and medical communities need to take the lead in our fight against bioterrorism.
- We must all work together.
Some resources that we have found helpful over the last few weeks as we seek to gain a better understanding of bioterrorism include:
The CDC's bio-terrorism website:
www.bt.cdc.gov
Johns Hopkins University Center for Civilian Biodefense Studies-this site has a very good FAQ: Information for the General Public:
www.hopkins-biodefense.org
The Extension Disaster Education Network website:
www.agctr.lsu.edu/subjects/eden/onlineext.asp
Agroterrorism-A Purdue Extension Backgrounder:
www.ces.purdue.edu/eden/disasters/agro
Precautions against Biological and Chemical Terrorism Directed at Food and Water Supplies. Public Health Reports, Vol. 116, pages 3-14, January-February 2001. A. Khan, D. Swerdlow, and D. Juranek.
Sources: 1. Bioterrorism, Programs in Brief. CDC www.cdc.gov/programs/bio.htm. 2. Bioterrorism: How Prepared Are We? Emerging Infectious Diseases, 1999, vol. 5, no. 4.
Updated Monday, August 29, 2011
