The Emergence of Zoonotic Diseases
Item Details
Title
The Emergence of Zoonotic Diseases
Topics
This report summarizes the findings of the Institute of Medicine's Forum on Emerging Infections' workshop about zoonoses.
Date
2002
Conclusions
A majority of agents that have been considered for weaponization are zoonotic. They are usually not very contagious so are easy to control tactically and their ubiquitous threat makes it easy to disguise offensive research under general public health research. Terrorists may enjoy the fear they inspire in a population and the potential for widespread consequences. Continued advances in biotechnology, while offering great promise for the advancement of medicine, may concomitantly make it easier for terrorists to produce and deploy effective biological weapons. Expanded surveillance can provide an early warning system for zoonoses.
Source
Burroughs, T., et al. The Emergence of Zoonotic Diseases: Understanding the Impact on Animal and Human Health. Institute of Medicine, The National Academies Press. 2002. https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10338/the-emergence-of-zoonotic-diseases-understanding-the-impact-on-animal. Accessed March, 2024.
Citation
“The Emergence of Zoonotic Diseases,” Collection of Biothreat Risk Assessments (COBRA), accessed January 15, 2025, https://cobrabiosecurity.org/items/show/546.