At the completion of this course, the participant should be able to:
• Recall what is a bioterrorism attack
• Review bioterrorism agent examples
• List steps to be taken before, during and after biological threats
Description:
These agents are typically found in nature, but it is possible that they could be modified to increase their ability to cause disease, make them resistant to current medicines, or to increase their ability to be spread into the environment. Biological agents can be dispersed by spraying them into the air, by infecting animals that carry the disease to humans and by contaminating food and water.
Terrorists may use biological agents because they can be extremely difficult to detect and do not cause illness for several hours, or even for several days.
Biological agents are organisms or toxins that can kill or incapacitate people, livestock and crops. A bioterrorism attack is the deliberate release of these organisms or toxins, referred to as agents, used to cause illness or death in people, animals, or plants.
When used in this manner, they are considered part of the “Weapons of Mass Destruction.”
Keywords: Anthrax, Bioterrorism, Attack, Plague, Emergency Kit, Supplies
