Bioterrorism: Challenges of Training

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Bioterrorism Challenges of Training

• Rare Diseases
• Never Seen or Diagnosed by Todays Clinicians
• Non-traditional Routes of Infection
• Emerging Patterns of Resistance
• Increased Virulence

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The Biological Terrorist Spectrum
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Screensaver Intervention16.7 increase in
correct responses
Baseline
Intervention
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Web Site Usagewww.bioterrorism.uab.edu

• Weeks 1-19
• 22 Oct 2001-28 Feb 2002

• 12,180 Unique Visitors
• 580,300 Total Hits
• 70 Countries
• 883 CME certificates issued

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Dual-Use
Bacillus anthracis
Neisseria meningitidis
Bioterrorism
Naturally Occurring
Public Health PreparationBioterrorism Preparation
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Medical Specialties
First Point of Care Emergency Medicine Primary
Care Providers Internal Medicine Pediatrics Ob
/Gyn Family Practice Hospital Infection
Control Initial Diagnostics Pathology Radiology
Consultative Specialties Infectious
Disease Pulmonology and Critical
Care Dermatology Nephrology Surgical
Subspecialties Other Medical Subspecialties
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Agents of Concern
Category A Smallpox Anthrax Plague Tularemia VHF
s Botox
Category B Q fever Brucellosis Glanders VE, WEE
and EEE Ricin toxin Epsilon toxin Staph
enterotoxin B
Category C Nipah virus Hantavirus Tick-borne
HFs Tick-borne Encephalitis Yellow fever MDR TB
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October 9, 2001, CNN
Link between anthrax, hijackers probed October
9, 2001 Posted 441 PM EDT (2041 GMT) WEST PALM
BEACH, Florida (CNN) -- Federal officials
said Tuesday their investigation into a deadly
anthrax infection in Florida included a
closer look at forensic evidence gathered in the
weeks since the September 11 terrorist attacks,
especially items traced to the suspected
hijackers, such as luggage, documents and cars.
The bacteria is blamed for the death of photo
editor at the supermarket tabloid The Sun. A
mailroom employee also tested positive for
exposure to anthrax, but is not exhibiting
symptoms of the disease. Elsewhere in Florida,
officials Tuesday were checking reports of a
"white powdery residue" in the mail of two
locations in Naples, on the west coast. Reports
of possible anthrax virus in Weston and Deerfield
Beach, on the east coast, proved unfounded.
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