Volume 8, Number 2—February 2002
Conference Summary
Public Health Assessment of Potential Biological Terrorism Agents
Table 2
Criteria and weightinga used to evaluate potential biological threat agents
Disease | Public health impact | Dissemination potential | Public perception | Special preparation | Category | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Disease | Death | P-Db | P - Pc | ||||
Smallpox | + | ++ | + | +++ | +++ | +++ | A |
Anthrax | ++ | +++ | +++ | 0 | +++ | +++ | A |
Plagued | ++ | +++ | ++ | ++ | ++ | +++ | A |
Botulism | ++ | +++ | ++ | 0 | ++ | +++ | A |
Tularemia | ++ | ++ | ++ | 0 | + | +++ | A |
VHFe | ++ | +++ | + | + | +++ | ++ | A |
VEf | ++ | + | + | 0 | ++ | ++ | B |
Q Fever | + | + | ++ | 0 | + | ++ | B |
Brucellosis | + | + | ++ | 0 | + | ++ | B |
Glanders | ++ | +++ | ++ | 0 | 0 | ++ | B |
Melioidosis | + | + | ++ | 0 | 0 | ++ | B |
Psittacosis | + | + | ++ | 0 | 0 | + | B |
Ricin toxin | ++ | ++ | ++ | 0 | 0 | ++ | B |
Typhus | + | + | ++ | 0 | 0 | + | B |
Cholerag | + | + | ++ | +/- | +++ | + | B |
Shigellosisg | + | + | ++ | + | + | + | B |
aAgents were ranked from highest threat (+++) to lowest (0).
bPotential for production and dissemination in quantities that would affect a large population, based on availability, BSL requirements, most effective route of infection, and environmental stability.
cPerson-to-person transmissibility.
dPneumonic plague.
eViral hemorrhagic fevers due to Filoviruses (Ebola, Marburg) or Arenaviruses (e.g., Lassa, Machupo).
fViral encephalitis.
gExamples of food- and waterborne diseases.