BIOLOGIC WARFARE AGENT TOXICITY

Course overview

BIOLOGICAL WARFARE AGENTS INCLUDE BACTERIA, VIRUSES, FUNGI, AND BIOLOGICAL TOXINS. SOME AGENTS ARE FREQUENTLY LETHAL, WHILE OTHERS ARE INTENDED TO CAUSE ILLNESS OR INCAPACITATION. BIOLOGICAL WARFARE CAN BE DIRECTED NOT ONLY AT THE HUMAN POPULATION BUT ALSO AT CROPS AND LIVESTOCK. BIOLOGICAL WARFARE AGENTS ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE DISPERSED AS AEROSOLS TO BE MORE EASILY SPREAD AMONGST LARGE POPULATIONS. HOWEVER, CERTAIN AGENTS CAN BE SPREAD FROM PERSON TO PERSON OR BY VECTORS, INGESTION, DIRECT CONTACT, OR OTHER METHODS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE MOST COMMON BIOLOGIC AGENTS ADDRESSING THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF THESE CONDITIONS.