MLAB 2434: Microiology
Keri Brophy-Martinez
Bioterrorism
Terms
Bioterrorism:
use of bacteria, viruses, fungi or toxins to injure people,
animals or crops to cause civil and economic unrest.
Biological warfare:
use of bacteria, viruses, fungi or toxins to injure people,
animals or crops to gain military advantage.
Biosafety Levels (BSL)
 Based on microorganism disease potential
 Combination of standard procedures and techniques,
safety equipment and facilities designed to minimize the
exposure of workers and the environment to infectious
agents.
 Each increase in level indicates more precautions and
work controls
BSL’s
 BSL-1
 Organisms that do not normally cause human disease
 Minimal safety procedures & equipment
 Ex: Bacillus subtilis
 BSL-2
 Organisms cause human disease but are not transmitted among
hosts
 Work should be performed under class II biological hood
 Ex: HBV, Salmonellae
BSL’s
 BSL-3
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Organism transmitted by respiratory route
Causes serious disease
Requires use of separate air ventilation systems
EX: Mycobacterium tuberculosis
 BSL-4
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Organism transmitted by respiratory route
High risk of disease
Strict precautions, require containment suits
No treatment or vaccine
EX: Ebola
3 Categories for Public Health
Preparedness
 A: Agents of greatest impact
 EX: Bacillus anthracis,Yersinina pestis
 B: Easily disseminated
 EX: Brucella, E. coli 0157: H7
 C: Emerging pathogens
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Mass dissemination
EX: Multidrug resistant MTB, hantavirus
Considerations
 Biological weapons usually enter host via respiratory tract, GI
tract, skin and mucous membranes
 Primarily aerosols
 Food or water sources usually not utilized
Laboratory Response Network (LRN)
 Established in 1999 by CDC, FBI and United States Army
Medical Research Institute of Infectious
Disease(USAMRIID)
 Goal:
 Link state and locate labs with advanced capacity
clinical, military, veterinary, agricultural, H20 and food
testing labs
 Decentralize testing capabilities
Laboratory Response Network (LRN)
 Structure
1.
Sentinel
 Role
Rapid detection and
reporting of potential
threats
 Rule out or refer suspicious
isolates, not to ID
 Provide assistance on
proper collection,
processing, and handling of
samples
 Community hospitals with
microbiology capabilities
 BSL-2

Laboratory Response Network (LRN)
2.
Reference
Role
o Offer confirmatory testing for biothreat agents
o Culture ID
• Examples: State public health labs & Dept. of Defense labs
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3.
National
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Role
Perform all reference lab tests, and forensic testing
Definite ID of biothreat agents
Examples: CDC, USAMRIID, National Research Medical Center
BSL-4
Indicators of a Potential Biocrime Event
 A disease entity that is usual or that does not occur naturally in a given
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geographic area.
Multiple disease entities in the same patients.
Higher than average morbidity & mortality relative to the number of
personnel at risk or within a population that inhabits the same area.
Massive point source outbreak.
Aerosol route of infection.
Illness limited to located or circumscribed geographic areas with filtered
air supplies or closed ventilation systems.
Sentinel dead animals of different species.
Absence of a competent natural vector in the area of an outbreak.
Agents of Bioterror
 Bacillus anthracis
 Yersinia pestis
 Francisella tularensis
 Brucella species
 Burkholderia species
 Coxiella burnetii
 Variola virus- smallpox
 Viral hemorrhagic fever- Ebola & Marburg virus
 Ricin
 Staph enterotoxins
 Clostridium botulinum toxin
References
 Mahon, C. R., Lehman, D. C., & Manuselis, G. (2011).
Textbook of Diagnostic Microbiology (4th ed.). Maryland
Heights, MO: Saunders.
 Patton, M. T. (2010, October). In the Wake of an Attack:
Laboratorians on the front line of bioterrorism defense.
Advance for Medical Laboratory Professionals, 22(20), 6-7.