The risk of dispersing invasive species, especially human pathogens, through acts of bioterrorism, cannot be neglected. However, that risk appears quite low in comparison with the risk of dispersing animal pathogens that could dramatically burden the agricultural economy of food animal producing countries, such as Australia and countries in Europe and North and South America. Although it is not...

Since the discovery of Iraq’s biological weapons program, concern regarding the threat of biological warfare has increased (1). Anthrax immunizations; increased nuclear, biological, and chemical defense training; improved detection systems and protective gear; and increased vigilance have been instituted to protect the military. However, the military is not the only population at risk for biolo...

Microorganisms are a necessary part of everyday life. Many, known as resident or normal flora, adapt and live peacefully with the human body, providing benefits such as vitamin production or cellulose digestion in the intestines, and protection from disease-producing pathogens. Transient flora may stay for weeks to months but do not remain permanently because of fierce competition from resident...

Smallpox was declared to be eradicated on 8 May 1980, during the Thirty-third World Health Assembly. However, concerns about the possible use of the virus as a weapon of bioterrorism have increased in recent years. Governments have responded by initiating selective vaccination programmes and other public health measures. This review uses historical data from 20th century outbreaks to assess the...

The Biology of Cancer by Robert Weinberg is a textbook aimed at graduate biology and medical students. It covers the basic biology of cancer at the molecular and cellular level. The book begins with a brief history of the field of cancer biology as it spawned from accelerated research after World War II and into the mid-70s, when cancer biology really took off as an independent field of researc...

The rate at which epidemics of zoonotic disease in humans have surfaced over the past 25 years has shaken--some would say shattered--the assumption that zoonotic diseases are under control, says Paul Gibbs. In this review he analyses the global factors that have led to the increased emergence of zoonotic diseases, sketches several recent epidemics (and where relevant, their relationship to biot...

Mathematical models can help prepare for and respond to bioterrorism attacks, provided that their strengths and weaknesses are clearly understood. A series of initiatives within the Department of Health and Human Services brought modelers together with biologists and epidemiologists who specialize in smallpox and experts in bioterrorism response and health policy and has led to the parallel dev...

Since the terrorist attacks and anthrax release in 2001, almost $32 billion has been allocated to biodefense and biosurveillance in the USA alone. Surveillance in health care refers to the continual systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of data. When attempting to detect agents of bioterrorism, surveillance can occur in several ways. Syndromic surveillance occurs by...