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Home > Areas of Focus > BioAgents and Epidemic Diseases
BioAgents and Epidemic Diseases
  

Information, analysis, and recommendations related to the agents and diseases representing the greatest biological threats. Background information on biological agent categories and threat assessment.

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Agent Fact Sheets
Note: We have posted fact sheets for all of the CDC's category A agents and for those category B agents that have been selected by the Office of The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) via the Public Health Medical Countermeasures Enterprise (PHMCE) for priority countermeasure development.

Bacillus anthracis (Anthrax)
Botulinum toxin (Botulism)
Francisella tularensis (Tularemia)
Burkholderia mallei (Glanders)   
Burkholderia pseudomallei (Melioidosis)

Hemorrhagic Fever Viruses (VHF)
Ricin toxin (Ricin)
Rickettsia prowazekii (Epidemic Typhus)
Variola virus (Smallpox)
Yersinia pestis (Plague)

   

Center Publications and Original Articles

Publications on Biological Agents

Articles written by Center staff relating to biological agents.

  1. Environmental Decontamination Following A Large-Scale Bioterrorism Attack

    Franco C, Bouri N. Biosecurity and Bioterrorism. 2010;8(2).
    Mon, 12 Apr 2010 14:02:14 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/resources/publications/2010/2010-04-07-environmental_decontamination.html

  2. Antibiotic Resistance

    Rambhia K, Gronvall G. Biosecurity and Bioterrorism. 2009;7(4).
    Tue, 22 Dec 2009 18:42:00 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/resources/publications/2009/2009-12-22-antibiotic_resistance.html

  3. Strategic Priorities for U.S. Biosecurity

    O'Toole T, Inglesby TV. Biosecurity and Bioterrorism. 2009;7(1).
    Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:26:47 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/resources/publications/2009/biomemo/2009-03-27-strategic_priorities_biosecurity.html

  4. Smallpox and Monkeypox

    Henderson DA, Borio LL. In: Guerrant RL, Walker DH, Weller PF, eds. Tropical Infectious Diseases: Principles, Pathogens and Practices, Volume I. New York: Elsevier; 2006:621-634.
    Sun, 01 Jan 2006 16:02:00 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/resources/publications/2006_orig-articles/2006-01-01-smallpoxmonkeypox.html

  5. Disease Eradication and Control

    Henderson DA. In: Guerrant RL, Walker DH, Weller PF, eds. Tropical infectious Diseases: Principles, Pathogens and Practices, Vol I. New York: Elsevier; 2006:68-72.
    Sun, 01 Jan 2006 16:01:00 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/resources/publications/2006_orig-articles/2006-01-01-diseaseeradicationcontrol.html

  6. How Clean is Safe? Reopening Public Facilities after a Biological Attack

    Berns K, Atlas RM, Barbeito MS, et al. Com on Standards and Policies for Decontaminating Public Facilities Affected by Exposure to Harmful Biological Agents. National Academy of Sciences. 2005 Jul.
    Fri, 15 Jul 2005 18:17:00 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/resources/publications/2005_orig-articles/2005-07-15-howcleanissafereopeningpublicfacilities.html

  7. Anthrax Countermeasures: Current Status and Future Needs

    Borio L, Gronvall GK. Biosecurity and Bioterrorism. 2005;3(2):102-112.
    Wed, 15 Jun 2005 20:08:00 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/resources/publications/2005_orig-articles/2005-06-15-anthraxcountermeasures.html

  8. Smallpox: From Eradication to Resurrection

    Henderson DA. Nova Acta Leopoldina. 2005;344:111-116. (Halle, Germany)
    Sat, 01 Jan 2005 18:15:00 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/resources/publications/2005_orig-articles/2005-01-01-smallpoxeradicationresurrection.html

  9. Plague as an Agent of Bioterrorism

    Borio L. In: Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R, eds. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases, 6th Edition. Philadelphia, PA: Churchill Livingstone; 2005.
    Sat, 01 Jan 2005 18:14:00 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/resources/publications/2005_orig-articles/2005-01-01-plagueagentbioterrorism.html

  10. Smallpox Vaccine

    Henderson DA. In de Quadros CA , ed. Vaccines: Preventing Disease and Protecting Health. Washington, DC: Pan American Health Organization; 2004:281-286.
    Wed, 30 Jun 2004 15:07:00 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/resources/publications/2004_orig-articles/2004-06-30-smallpoxvaccine.html

 
[Complete list of Center publications and articles on this topic]

 
Center Commentary

commentary_agent

Commentary by Center staff regarding biological agents.

  1. U.S. Biosecurity and the Center for Biosecurity's Work -- A Series of Interviews from Homeland Security: Inside and Out (03-17-2009)

    On March 17, 2009, for their radio show, Homeland Security Inside and Out, co-hosts Col. Randy Larsen and Dave McIntyre interviewed senior staff of the Center for a series of discussions about U.S. biosecurity strategy and related issues.
    Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:39:00 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/resources/commentary/2009-03-17-inside_and_out/index.html

  2. Letter of Support for H.R. 6671 Biosafety Act (08-13-2008)

    The Center for Biosecurity of UPMC has endorsed the Select Agent Program and Biosafety Improvement Act of 2008 (h.r. 6671).
    Wed, 13 Aug 2008 16:45:00 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/resources/commentary/2008-08-13-ltr_support_hr6671_biosafety.html

  3. Letter of Support for Burr-Kennedy Biosafety Act (06-17-2008)

    The Center for Biosecurity of UPMC has endorsed the Select Agent Program and Biosafety Improvement Act of 2008 (s. 3217), introduced by Senators Burr and Kennedy on June 12, 2008.
    Tue, 17 Jun 2008 21:50:00 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/resources/commentary/2008-06-17-ltr_support_biosafety_BurrKennedy.html

  4. Ten Notable Publications of 2007 (01-08-2008)

    Center for Biosecurity's picks for 10 notable publications of 2007.
    Wed, 09 Jan 2008 00:15:00 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/resources/commentary/2008-01-08-notablepubs2007.html

  5. Learning from the XDR-TB Experience: Policy Priorities Going Forward (07-06-2007)

    Key Implications of XDR-TB, June 2007: Careful examination of gov't and public responses to the case of XDR-TB is critical--raises important questions about nation's ability to detect & respond to major outbreaks of infectious diseases.
    Fri, 06 Jul 2007 15:54:00 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/resources/commentary/2007-06-07-learningfromxdr-tbexperience.html


 
Congressional Testimony and Briefings

Testimony on Biosecurity Agent

Congressional testimony by Center staff regarding biological agents.

  1. Biological Threats and the Importance of Preparedness (03-03-2008)

    Presentation delivered by Dr. Tom Inglesby at a Capitol Hill briefing sponsored by Trust for America's Health entitled "Ready or Not? Protecting the Public's Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism."
    Mon, 07 Apr 2008 22:06:29 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/resources/hearings/2008/2008-03-03-biothreatsbriefing.html

  2. Six Years After Anthrax: Are We Better Prepared to Respond to Bioterrorism? (10-23-2007)

    Testimony of Tara O'Toole before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
    Tue, 23 Oct 2007 17:48:00 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/resources/hearings/2007/20071023-sixyearsafteranthrax.html

  3. Terrorism through the Mail: Protecting Postal Workers and the Public--Part II (10-31-2001)

    Testimony of Dr. Tara O'Toole before the Subcommittee on International Security, Proliferation and Federal Services; Committee on Government Affairs; U.S. Senate
    Wed, 31 Oct 2001 16:21:00 GMThttp://www.upmc-biosecurity.org/website/resources/hearings/2001/20011031protectpostalwrkrs_pt2.html


 
Center Events and Scenarios

Atlantic Storm
Washington, DC. January 14, 2005.

National Symposium on Medical and Public Health Response to Bioterrorism
Washington, DC. February 16–17, 1999.

  
Multimedia

D.A. Henderson in Virtual World Second Life! D.A. Henderson discussed how he led the WHO’s smallpox eradication. The journal Nature hosted the event. Listen to podcast.

Podcast Interview with Dr. D.A. Henderson on the History of Smallpox Eradication. Wellcome Trust Centre for the History of Medicine at UCL (University College London). Listen to interview.

Smallpox Eradication: What it taught us or did it? Dr. D.A. Henderson speaking March 27, 2009, at the Biosecurity Seminar Series at Princeton University.

Smallpox: The Death of a Disease. Dr. D.A. Henderson interviewed March 17, 2009, for Federal News Radio’s Homeland Security: Inside and Out. Listen to interview.

The Challenge of Bioterrorism, Present and Future: Keynote address delivered by Dr. Tara O’Toole in November 2008 at the Commissioned Training of Major Infectious Disease Emergencies and Bioterrorism Preparedness at Princess Margaret’s Hospital in Hong Kong. Watch the video | View the slides | View other lectures from this conference

Lessons from the Anthrax Attacks of 2001: Lecture delivered by Dr. Thomas Inglesby in November 2008 at the Commissioned Training of Major Infectious Disease Emergencies and Bioterrorism Preparedness at Princess Margaret’s Hospital in Hong Kong. Watch the video | View the slides | View other lectures from this conference

Atlantic Storm: Lecture delivered by Dr. Thomas Inglesby in November 2008 at the Commissioned Training of Major Infectious Disease Emergencies and Bioterrorism Preparedness at Princess Margaret’s Hospital in Hong Kong. Watch the video | View the slides | View other lectures from this conference

Anthrax, Plague, and Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers: 3 Lectures Delivered by Dr. Eric Toner in November 2008 at the Commissioned Training of Major Infectious Disease Emergencies and Bioterrorism Preparedness at Princess Margaret’s Hospital in Hong Kong. View these and other lectures from this conference

Atlantic Storm Interactive

Slide lecture: Polio Eradication: A Reconsideration of Strategy, a lecture delivered by Dr. D.A. Henderson for the John Snow Society (the 2007 Annual Pumphandle Lecture). Listen to the lecture | View the slides


U.S. Government Documents

U.S. government documents and reports related to biological agents and diseases

U.S. government documents – all topic areas

Biosecurity-related federal legislation

   
See Also

Smallpox: the Death of a Disease, by D.A. Henderson, MD, a personal recounting of how a global program began and ultimately succeeded in eradicating the world’s most long-standing and devastating pestilential disease.

Background information on biological agent categories and threat assessment

Clinicians' Biosecurity Network Report Archive: Agents and Diseases

Emergency Preparedness and Biodefense Interest Group: Seminars

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Emergency Preparedness and Response

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Eurosurveillance BICHAT Guidelines for Clinical Management

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