NCJ Number
189784
Date Published
August 2000
Length
21 pages
Annotation
The document emphasizes the public health aspects of the bioterrorism threat.
Abstract
There are many possible scenarios for a bioweapons attack, which range from relatively small nonlethal attacks to highly lethal pandemics. Bioweapons has been singled out as the greatest threat that the United States (U.S.) might face in the next century. A biological weapon attack is very unlikely to remain local. The fear and panic that is generated by such an attack is likely to cause people all over the country to descend on doctors’ offices and hospitals, seeking care and reassurance. Also, many of the pathogens thought to be used as bioweapons cause symptoms that are very similar to common illnesses, at least at the outset. Because intelligence agencies have estimated that at least a dozen States possess or are actively seeking an offensive biological weapons capacity, this country needs to be concerned about biological weapons. A biological weapon attack would likely be unannounced. Depending on the biological agent and its incubation period, it could be days or weeks after release before people first become ill. By the time it is recognized as an epidemic, the people who were exposed in the initial release could be spread all over the world. The medical health care and public health systems are unable at this time to deal with an epidemic because there is a lack of vaccines and drugs to deal with the likely diseases, and lack of public education. A very robust research and development program for bio-defense must be mounted. The medical and health care communities must be prepared to respond to an epidemic. The public health has to identify those critical capacities that are needed to fight epidemics of contagious disease.