- Relevant Dermatoses Among U.S. Military Service Members: An Operational Review of Management Strategies and Telemedicine Utilization. [Review]
- Despite skin being the largest and most exposed organ of the human body, skin issues can be challenging to diagnose in deployed military service members. Common reasons deployed soldiers seek dermatological evaluation include infections, inflammatory skin conditions, and skin growth. Due to limited access to specialized care in deployed settings, dermatological conditions are undertreated and und…
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- Predictors of bioterrorism preparedness among clinical nurses: A cross-sectional study. [Journal Article]Nurse Educ Today. 2023 Jan 23; 122:105727.NE
- CONCLUSIONS: This study found that clinical nurses' awareness and attitude toward bioterrorism are important factors in their bioterrorism preparedness and that attention to and education about bioterrorism are crucial to enhance clinical nurses' bioterrorism preparedness. Continued research is needed to establish a bioterrorism response system and relevant educational programs.
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- Impact of filter material and holding time on spore sampling efficiency in water. [Journal Article]Lett Appl Microbiol. 2023 Jan 13 [Online ahead of print]LA
- Bacillus anthracis and other environmentally persistent pathogens pose a significant threat to human and environmental health. If contamination is spread over a wide area (e.g. resulting from a bioterrorism or biowarfare incident), readily deployable and scalable sample collection methods will be necessary for rapidly developing and implementing effective remediation strategies. A recent surge in…
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- Epigallocatechin gallate inhibits Francisella tularensis growth and suppresses the function of DNA-binding protein HU. [Journal Article]Microb Pathog. 2023 Jan 24; 176:105999.MP
- Francisella tularensis is a highly infectious intracellular bacterium causing tularemia disease and is regarded as a potential biological weapon. The development of a vaccine, effective treatment, or prophylactic substances targeted against tularemia is in the forefront of interest and could help to prevent or mitigate possible malevolent acts by bioterrorism utilizing F. tularensis. The viabilit…
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- Modeling on the Effects of Deliberate Release of Aerosolized Inhalational Bacillus anthracis (Anthrax) on an Australian Population. [Journal Article]Health Secur. 2023 Jan 24 [Online ahead of print]HS
- This study aimed to determine optimal mitigation strategies in the event of an aerosolized attack with Bacillus anthracis, a category A bioterrorism agent with a case fatality rate of nearly 100% if inhaled and untreated. To simulate the effect of an anthrax attack, we used a plume dispersion model for Sydney, Australia, accounting for weather conditions. We determined the radius of exposure in d…
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- Draft Genome Sequences of 20 Clostridium botulinum Type A Isolates from Foodborne Botulism Outbreaks. [Journal Article]
- Here, we present 20 draft genome sequences of Clostridium botulinum type A isolates originating from foodborne outbreaks in the United States and Ethiopia. Publicly available genomes enhance our understanding of C. botulinum genomics and are an asset in bioterrorism preparedness.
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- A Thermostable Dissolving Microneedle Vaccine with Recombinant Protein of Botulinum Neurotoxin Serotype A. [Journal Article]
- CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we successfully prepared a bacteriostatic MN patch using a fish gelatin matrix that not only has a good vaccination effect, but also obviates the need for a cold chain for the AHc vaccine, providing the possibility of rapid, painless, and large-scale vaccination.
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- The Legacy of the Pandemic Preparedness Regime: An Integrative Review. [Review]
- Objectives: The global response to COVID-19 inherited a long history of preparedness features pertaining to various threats, including bioterrorism, (re)-emerging infectious diseases, and pandemics. We describe the evolution of pandemic preparedness frameworks, before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We conducted an integrative literature review of publicly available documents, including…
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- Dental professionals' attitude and willingness to respond during disaster events: a cross-sectional study. [Journal Article]Przegl Epidemiol. 2022; 76(3):330-335.PE
- CONCLUSIONS: The study emphasizes the need for educational and training programs for dentists' regarding disaster management. A short course on emergency and disaster management can be included in undergraduate and postgraduate dental curriculum.
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- A single-shot ChAd3-MARV vaccine confers rapid and durable protection against Marburg virus in nonhuman primates. [Journal Article]Sci Transl Med. 2022 12 14; 14(675):eabq6364.ST
- Marburg virus (MARV) causes a severe hemorrhagic fever disease in primates with mortality rates in humans of up to 90%. MARV has been identified as a category A bioterrorism agent by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and priority pathogen A by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), needing urgent research and development of countermeasures because of…
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- The PRISMA 2020 Statement: A System Review of Hospital Preparedness for Bioterrorism Events. [Review]
- Hospitals are an important part of a nation's response to bioterrorism events. At present, research in this field is still in the initial stage. The number of related studies is small, the research direction is relatively concentrated, and a comprehensive analysis and standard evaluation system are lacking. This literature survey was conducted using PRISMA methodology. Collective information was …
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- Single Low-Dose Nanovaccine for Long-Term Protection against Anthrax Toxins. [Journal Article]Nano Lett. 2022 12 14; 22(23):9672-9678.NL
- Anthrax infections caused by Bacillus anthracis are an ongoing bioterrorism and livestock threat worldwide. Current approaches for management, including extended passive antibody transfusion, antibiotics, and prophylactic vaccination, are often cumbersome and associated with low patient compliance. Here, we report on the development of an adjuvanted nanotoxoid vaccine based on macrophage membrane…
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- An Uncommon Presentation of Pulmonary Tularemia: A Case Report and Literature Review. [Case Reports]
- Francisella tularensis is a re-emerging organism causing more significant outbreaks of tularemia and fear of bioterrorism. It can be challenging to recognize tularemia due to its variable presentation, especially in low-incidence areas. Physicians must be mindful of this life-threatening infectious disease and consider it a differential diagnosis in patients with fever of unknown origin. We encou…
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- Biological characteristics, biosafety prevention and control strategies for the 2022 multi-country outbreak of monkeypox. [Review]
- Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV), which is a potential biological warfare agent of bioterrorism and poses the greatest threat to the world's public biosafety and health after variola virus (VARV). While the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has not ended yet, monkeypox is spreading menacingly. The first case of monkeypox in a nonendemic country was c…
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- What predicts people's belief in COVID-19 misinformation? A retrospective study using a nationwide online survey among adults residing in the United States. [Journal Article]
- CONCLUSIONS: Our findings confirm the existence of groups with unique characteristics that believe in different types of COVID-19 misinformation. Findings are readily applicable by policymakers to inform careful targeting of misinformation mitigation strategies.
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- StatPearls: Q Fever [BOOK]StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing: Treasure Island (FL)BOOK
- Q fever, an acute zoonotic febrile illness with a worldwide distribution, was discovered first in Australia in 1935 among meat workers. As a cause could not be identified, it was labeled “Q (query) fever.” This disease has occurred as outbreaks among livestock and farm workers handling ungulates. Clinical presentation is often a self-limited febrile illness, but severe manifestations can occur.[1…
- Hospital management model for biological hazards: A qualitative content analysis study. [Journal Article]J Emerg Manag. 2022 Sep-Oct; 20(5):407-422.JE
- CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results of the present study, we believe that a comprehensive and practical model for hospital preparedness regarding management of biological hazards is essential. The model of hospital preparedness in biological hazards leads to an effective response and reduces the physical, psychological, social, and economic consequences of biological hazards.
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- Pathogenic Bacilli as an Emerging Biothreat? [Review]
- Bacillus anthracis, present as a very durable endospore in soil, causes zoonotic illness which is mainly associated with herbivores and domestic animals. Human cases are scarce and often involve populations close to infected livestock. If anthrax is no longer of public health concern in developed countries, B. anthracis is one of the top-tier biological weapon agents. It is classified by the CDC …
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- Brucella Phagocytosis Mediated by Pathogen-Host Interactions and Their Intracellular Survival. [Review]
- The Brucella species is the causative agent of brucellosis in humans and animals. So far, brucellosis has caused considerable economic losses and serious public health threats. Furthermore, Brucella is classified as a category B bioterrorism agent. Although the mortality of brucellosis is low, the pathogens are persistent in mammalian hosts and result in chronic infection. Brucella is a facultati…
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- Cholera outbreak in Funpur, Winland. [Case Reports]Pan Afr Med J. 2021; 40(Suppl 2):4.PA
- Vibrio Cholerae is a category B agent which has moderate to high potential to be used in bioterrorist events. This fictitious case study is based on man-made outbreak investigation and response carried out by disease surveillance and response unit of country Winland. The numbers of acute watery diarrhoea cases (AWDs) were concentrated in city Funpur of country Winland which share international bo…
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- Human monkeypox (hMPXV) re-emergence: Host immunity status and current vaccines landscape. [Review]
- Monkeypox virus is a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus and the Poxviridae family. Orthopoxviruses are among the most intricate animal viruses. The pathogenicity of human monkeypox infection has been emphasized in response to its recent emergence in non-endemic countries and the threat of bioterrorism. It is always necessary to take appropriate precautions in exposure to emerging or re-emerging in…
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- The development and use of decision support framework for informing selection of select agent toxins with modelling studies to inform permissible toxin amounts. [Systematic Review]
- Many countries have worked diligently to establish and implement policies and processes to regulate high consequence pathogens and toxins that could have a significant public health impact if misused. In the United States, the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-132, 1996), as amended by the Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-188, …
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- Systematic Review of Hospital Treatment Outcomes for Naturally Acquired and Bioterrorism-Related Anthrax, 1880-2018. [Review]
- CONCLUSIONS: Combination therapy appeared to be superior to monotherapy for inhalation anthrax without meningitis. For anthrax meningitis, neither monotherapy nor combination therapy were particularly effective; however, numbers were small. For localized cutaneous anthrax, monotherapy was sufficient. For B. anthracis exposures, PEPAbx was effective.
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- Safety of Antimicrobials for Postexposure Prophylaxis and Treatment of Anthrax: A Review. [Review]
- CONCLUSIONS: The reviewed antimicrobials have known and/or potential serious or severe risks that may influence selection when recommending an antimicrobial for PEP or treatment of anthrax. Given the high fatality rate of anthrax, the risk-benefit evaluation favors use of these antimicrobials for anthrax. The potential risks of antimicrobials should not preclude these reviewed antimicrobials from clinical consideration for anthrax but rather guide appropriate antimicrobial selection and prioritization across different patient populations with risk mitigation measures as warranted.
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- Systematic Review of In Vitro Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing for Bacillus anthracis, 1947-2019. [Journal Article]
- Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, is a high-consequence bacterial pathogen that occurs naturally in many parts of the world and is considered an agent of biowarfare or bioterrorism. Understanding antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of B. anthracis isolates is foundational to treating naturally occurring outbreaks and to public health preparedness in the event of an intentional…
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- Postexposure Prophylaxis and Treatment of Bacillus anthracis Infections: A Systematic Review and Meta-analyses of Animal Models, 1947-2019. [Meta-Analysis]
- CONCLUSIONS: These animal studies show many reviewed antimicrobials are good choices for PEPAbx or treatment of susceptible B. anthracis strains, and some are also promising options for combating resistant strains. Monte Carlo simulations suggest that oral ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and doxycycline are particularly robust choices for PEPAbx or treatment.
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- Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence-based strategies for monitoring atmospheric bioaerosols. [Review]J Air Waste Manag Assoc. 2022 12; 72(12):1327-1340.JA
- Bioaerosols play a momentous role in the transmission of human infectious diseases, so there has been increasing concern over their exposure in recent years. Bioaerosol monitor is crucial in environmental fields. Based on the universal existence of Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in bioaerosols, ATP bioluminescence can be used as a powerful technique to detect bioaerosols without interference from n…
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- Iron-Modified Blood Culture Media Allow for the Rapid Diagnosis and Isolation of the Slow-Growing Pathogen Francisella tularensis. [Journal Article]
- The life-threatening disease tularemia is caused by Francisella tularensis, an intracellular Gram-negative bacterial pathogen. Due to the high mortality rates of the disease, as well as the low respiratory infectious dose, F. tularensis is categorized as a Tier 1 bioterror agent. The identification and isolation from clinical blood cultures of F. tularensis are complicated by its slow growth. Iro…
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- Evaluating Nebraska EMS Providers' Ability and Willingness to Respond to Emergencies Resulting from Bioterrorist Attacks. [Journal Article]Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2022 Sep 29; 17:e215.DM
- CONCLUSIONS: To effectively prepare for and respond to a bioterrorist attack, all levels of the health care system need to have the clinical skills, knowledge, and abilities necessary to treat patients exposed to biological agents. Policy changes and increased focus on training and drills are needed to ensure a prepared EMS system, which is crucial to a resilient state. EMS entities need to be aware of the extent of their available workforce so that the country can be prepared for the increasing threat of bioterrorism or other novel emerging infectious disease outbreaks. A resilient nation relies on a prepared set of EMS providers who are willing to respond to biological terrorism events.
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