Bioterrorism Threat:A Review of Microbial Forensics Source-Tracing of Some Bioterrorism Agents

Global perception and consciousness of the threat of bioterrorism seem to have diminished in recent past following achievements in decades of global fight against deadly infectious diseases such as plague and smallpox.However,with recent advancement in biotechnology and the arrival on the scene of amoral and rogue states as well as terrorist groups,there is a justifiably heightened global apprehension that bacteria,viruses,and toxicogenic fungi can be weaponized and used to cause great harm to humans and agricultural biodiversity.We now have on our hands the dilemma of dual-use ofbiotechnology.This review brings to the fore an aspect of microbial forensics-bioagent source-tracing(attribution)that is very key in mounting an appropriate response to the evident threat ofbioterrorism.This article places a little more emphasis on the bioagent Yersinia pestis,and the technique of whole-genome sequence typing adjudged the most effective technique for building databases for bioterrorism-associated agents and public health important pathogens.The need for international sharing of data and databases of bio-agents is emphasized,as this would enable global applicability of bio-agent source-tracing in cases ofbioterrorism.

Labs Urged to Pre-empt Bioterrorism Threat

恐怖分子可以利用的手段是层出不穷的。为了将风险降到最低,两个非盈利组织于2月20日在华盛顿宣布要采取措施,并且敦促生化技术公司防范它们的员工或实验室成为恐怖活动的源头。然而,各个方面对此的反应却不尽相同。

Disaster preparedness, pediatric considerations in primary blast injury, chemical, and biological terrorism

Both domestic and foreign terror incidents are an unfortunate outgrowth of our modern times from the Oklahoma City bombings, Sarin gas attacks in Japan, the Madrid train bombing, anthrax spores in the mail, to the World Trade Center on September 11 th, 2001. The modalities used to perpetrate these terrorist acts range from conventional weapons to high explosives, chemical weapons, and biological weapons all of which have been used in the recent past. While these weapons platforms can cause significant injury requiring critical care the mechanism of injury, pathophysiology and treatment of these injuries are unfamiliar to many critical care providers. Additionally the pediatric population is particularly vulnerable to these types of attacks. In the event of a mass casualty incident both adult and pediatric critical care practitioners will likely be called upon to care for children and adults alike. We will review the presentation, pathophysiology, and treatment of victims of blast injury, chemical weapons, and biological weapons. The focus will be on those injuries not commonly encountered in critical care practice, primary blast injuries, category A pathogens likely to be used in terrorist incidents, and chemical weapons including nerve agents, vesicants, pulmonary agents, cyanide, and riot control agents with special attention paid to pediatric specific considerations.

Security Measures Against CBRN Threats:Case Study Olympic Games

In this paper we present how an serious security relevant event can be taken care of duing Olympic Games.Remote healthcare treatment will be given to injured persons during nuclear radiological biological attacks or in the case of physical disasters. The "Emergency-112" wireless telemedicine platform provides the hardware and software inrastructures in order to cope with the most extreme scenarios.A fully autonomous mobile system interconnects a group of injured persons with the expert medical institution.The unlimited capabilities of the system allows the Emergency-112 platform to be sed for rescue and surveillance operations regardless the terrain or the weather conditions.A dynamic hybrid system monitors the available spectrum and actively switches between different telecommunication access gateways.

The effectiveness of the department of defense's field manual 3-11 in detecting,deterring and degrading the breach of a combat base by a human-borne with bioagent(HBBA):perceptions of security personnel

Background: The department of defense's field manual(FM) 3-11 is among the military's field manuals for preparing for, reacting to and recovering from chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear attacks. Since post 9-11, U.S. military service members have been deployed in the global war on terrorism. This study attempted to determine the effectiveness of the FM 3-11 in detecting, deterring or preventing a human-borne with bioagent(HBBA) terrorist breach at an entry control point(ECP).Methods: This time-specific, cross-sectional study disseminated a validated survey tool with Cronbach's α>0.82 to respondents who have had antiterrorism training and combat ECP experience. The return rate was greater than 75.0%; however, many of the respondents failed to meet the inclusion criteria. Consequently, only 26 questionnaires were included in the sample.Results: The results revealed that while over 60.0% of the respondents either strongly agreed or agreed that biointelligence, the deployment of biodetectors and the use of biowarning systems could be effective in preventing an ECP breach by a terrorist with a bioagent, the use of protective equipment and immunization to decontaminate service members or other tactics, techniques and procedures(TTPs) would never prevent a breach. A large percentage of respondents claimed that soldiers at the ECP lacked the devices or the knowledge to detect an HBBA at an ECP, and 72.0% suggested modifying current ECP TTPs to include education, training and equipment for security personnel at military base ECPs.Conclusion: If obtained from appropriate sources and communicated to the personnel at the ECP in an effective or timely manner, the possible effectiveness of certain TTPs in the FM 3-11, specifically FM 3-11.86(intelligence), might increase.

The possibility of a human-borne with bioagent terrorist at foreign Forward Operating Bases entry control point:the perceptions of U.S. military or security personnel,a preliminary report

Background:The global war on terrorism has prompted an increase in the deployment of security personnel from multi-national forces on foreign lands,especially in places where known terrorist groups are based.The aim of this study was to obtain U.S.military and security personnel's perceptions of the possibility of encountering a humanborne with bioagent(HBBA) terrorist at an entry control point(ECP).Methods:This study was a mixed-method,cross-sectional,survey-based,time-limited study.A validated,five-option Likert scale questionnaire with Cronbach's alphas of 0.82 and 0.894 for Constructs 1 and 2 was distributed to over 113 respondents with combat experience.Results:The results indicated that 92.3% of the respondents thought it was possible for a terrorist to employ a biological agent to cause terror; 61.5% claimed it was either possible or very possible,and 26.9% claimed it was somewhat possible for a terrorist carrying a biological agent to successfully breach a combat Forward Operating Bases(FOB) ECP undetected.26.9% of the respondents agreed that "ECP soldiers are knowledgeable about bioagents(BA)",only 15.4% responded that ECP soldiers have effective devices for detecting a BA on a terrorist at an ECP.Conclusion:Despite some limitations,this pre-study tends to indicate that while many U.S.military or security personnel acknowledge the possibility of an HBBA terrorist breach and the vulnerability of U.S.combat post ECPs to a BA breach,the soldiers at the ECPs lack adequate knowledge or devices to effectively detect a BA on a terrorist at an ECP.

Biological Warfare-The Real Pandora’s Box:Learning From the Past

It is necessary to assess the risks generated by various micro-organisms that can be used as biological weapons and to understand the process of their development and the use of biological agents over time.Biological agents used for military purposes may be more powerful than conventional weapons and chemical weapons.Over the past century,advances in biotechnology and biochemistry have simplified the development and production of such weapons,and genetic engineering probably holds the most dangerous potential for making biological weapons.Ease of production,broad availability of biological agents and technical knowledge has led to the proliferation of biological weapons and a growing desire among developing countries to hold them.

Migratory Phenomenons, Bioethics and Vaccinations

The evolution of the HIV following migratory phenomenons is reported in an interesting study carried on for 15 years. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a technique in molecular biology that amplifies a specific region of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), and has been useful in the molecular characterization of viruses as poxviruses. In many countries, such as?Italy,the vaccinations are included in the so-called sanitary obliged not coercive treatments. This means that the obligation is anticipated for all the subjects belonging to one determined range of age to undergo some vaccinations, but these are not subministrated by force in case of refusal. The legitimacy of the obligatory vaccination against the smallpox, with all the risks connected,?stated that such “risks were too much reduced to be seriously taken in consideration for the benefits produced on the collectivity”.?To ratify this obligation brings, however, to the reimbursement of the?incidental?damages produced by the vaccination. Nevertheless, mass vaccination against smallpox continues to be a leading initiative in western countries to guard against bioterrorist attack.

Preface for advances in biochips

Biochip is essentially a bio-microarray device that can perform hundreds or thousands of simultaneous biochemical reactions.[1, 2] It offers the researchers a new way for large-scale genomic, proteomic and functional genomic analyses. The biochips also enable people to quickly screen large numbers of biological analyses for many different purposes, from disease diagnosis to detection of bioterrorism chemical agents.[3]

Yersinia pestis, a problem of the past and a re-emerging threat

Yersinia pestis is the bacteria that causes plague,one of the deadliest diseases in human history.Three major plague pandemics(the Justinian Plague,the Black Death and the Modern Plague)have been recorded.Each caused massive fatalities and has become defining events in the time periods in places that were affected.The presence of natural plague foci in rodents across the world is one of the risk factors for human plague.While plague is a relatively rare problem for most countries,more than 90%of plague cases in the world still occur in Africa.This article discusses the threat of Yersinia pestis in the modern world by considering its prevalence and severity of illness it causes,transmission,antibiotic resistance,and its potential as a bioweapon.

For a better world: Biosafety strategies to protect global health

Biological threats,whether naturally occurring,accidental,or deliberate in origin,can result in disasters that are regional,national,or even global in scope if not properly contained.Many global communities,international programs,and governmental organizations have been established to mitigate these risks and challenges.In China,for example,the government has systematically implemented long-term plans including a complete country-wide architecture for biosafety management.It includes the establishment of a series of improved biosafety laws/regulations/standards and of a large number of high-level biosafety laboratories.All countries should encourage preparedness and improve surveillance systems to predict,identify,and respond to the next public health crisis.More grants and funds should be established for research into biosafety and biosecurity.Most importantly,international collaborations,partnerships,and communications should be enhanced.The journal Biosafety and Health aims to provide a global communications platform on biosafety related to human and animal health.

Biosafety and biosecurity in the era of biotechnology:The Middle East region

Biotechnology became a paradigm-shifting science among all subfields of biology.The benefits of biotechnology have reached many practical fields,whether human health,animal,and/or agricultural.However,wherever there is a biotechnology practice,there is an associated biohazard with it,and its negative impact may reach all living entities including humans.Therefore,the cooperation of the leading institutions in this field has culminated in creating the concepts and applications of biosafety and biosecurity.The countries of the Middle East are considered biotechnology-practicing and have shown a clear acceptance to this field.But unfortunately,the Middle East region is one that is facing the most multichallenges,which would constitute real and noticeable concern at the local and international levels.Such challenges represented by wars and armed conflicts,deteriorating economic conditions,the large number of refugees,and the spread of many epidemics.Thus,limiting the region’s ability to deal with the surrounding biological hazards and struggling the way to the one health concept.Therefore,this article aims to shed light on the activities of the Middle East countries in the field of biotechnology and to address potential biological threats,whether natural such as the spread of viruses,or intentional such as biological attacks and bioterrorism.The article also shows the capacity of the countries of the region in the field of biosafety and biosecurity based on available information.Accordingly,some countries are lacking the required level of preparedness to face potential biological threats.Multi-institutional and international cooperation between the concerned countries will significantly enhance the capacity of the region in biosafety and biosecurity to meet the level of biological risk.Search methodology:wide range of related keywords(based on the section)combined with the name of the region,or one country individually have been searched using available search engines and databases such as google scholar and PubMed.After scanning the content of the found results,irrelevant articles have been excluded.Figures 2,3,4,6,and 7 were created by biorender.com.

Biosafety and biosecurity

With the profound changes in the international security situation,the progression of globalization,and the continuous advancement of biotechnology,the risks and challenges posed by major infectious diseases and bioterrorism to the international community are also increasing.Biosafety,therefore,presents new opportunities for international cooperation and global governance.The world has become more integrated and now shares a common destiny in terms of biosafety.In the face of the current risks and challenges,the international community must work together to avert threats,advance mutual interests,and safeguard global biosecurity.In the context of the current situation regarding biosafety and biosecurity,we conducted the present analysis,and present here some appropriate countermeasures.