Bioterrorism Infectious Agents Testing
Test Description Among the health protection goals of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is to prepare people for emerging health threats, including those of bioterrorism. The CDC website (http://www.bt.cdc.gov/bioterrorism/) provides access to information on many biological agents. Biological agents are classified according to three priority levels. The highest priority is Category A. According to the CDC, higher priority agents include organisms that pose a risk to national security because they: • can be easily disseminated or transmitted from person to person; • result in high mortality rates and have the potential for major public health impact; • might cause public panic and social disruption; and • require special action for public health preparedness. Currently, the agents classified as Category A include: • Anthrax ( Bacillus anthracis ) • Botulism ( Clostridium botulinum toxin ) • Plague ( Yersinia pestis ) • Smallpox ( variola major ) ...