Bioterrorism & Public Health
Emergency Facts
Anthrax
May
2007
Anthrax is a serious disease caused by a bacterium
that forms spores. A bacterium is a very small
organism made up of one cell. Many bacteria can
cause disease. A spore is a cell that is dormant
(asleep) but may come to life with the right condition.
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Botulism
May
2007
Botulinum toxin is the single most poisonous know
substance. It is a series illness caused by a
nerve toxin. There are three types of botulism:
food, wound and infant botulism.
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FirstWatch™
May 2005
FirstWatch™ is an early warning
biosurveillance system designed to monitor the 9-1-1 and
other public safety systems for abnormalities that may
indicate a biological attack or other significant
medical trends.
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Plague May
2007
Plague is an infectious disease that affects animals
and humans. It is caused by the bacteium Yersinia
pestis.
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Ricin
October 2007
Ricin is a poison that can be made from the waste
left over from processing castor beans and can be in the
form of powder, mist, pellet, or it can be dissolved in
water or weak acid. It is a stable substance that is not
affected much by extreme conditions such as hot or cold
temperatures.
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Tularemia
May 2007
Tularemia, also known as "rabbit fever," is a disease
that is typically found in animals, especially rodents,
rabbits and hares. Tularemia is usually a rural
disease and has been reported in all U.S. States except
Hawaii.
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Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers
September
2007
Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHF's) refer to a group of
illnesses that are caused by several distinct families
of viruses. Some types of hemorrhagic fevers can
causes relatively mild illnesses, however, many of these
viruses cause severe, life-threatening disease.
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