Microbial Threats to Health

Microbial Threats to Health

This book describes all microbial threats to human health, especially considering the intentional use of microbes as weapons and the consequences of scientific advancement.

2003

The US must integrate natural and intentional disease surveillance, as natural disease wreaks havoc constantly but biowarfare is more of a theory. US should seek to enhance global capacity for response to emerging infectious diseases, especially in the developing world. US should improve domestic surveillance and diagnostic technologies for new outbreaks. US needs to fund research to new antimicrobials and reduce their improper use. A bioterrorist attack could occur at a large magnitude under many circumstances. Diseases of particular concern in a biological attack are anthrax, smallpox, plague, tularemia, and botulism. An important problem is lack of familiarity that modern scientists have with some biowarfare concepts such as aerosolization. The most effective way to use funds is to integrate biosecurity research with the broader realm of infectious disease research.