{"title":"National Blueprint for Biodefense, One Year Later: Taking Stock of Biosecurity Efforts and A Call to Action","authors":"Alexander H Chang, Edbert B. Hsu","doi":"10.4172/2157-2526.1000154","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4172/2157-2526.1000154","url":null,"abstract":"In October 2015, a bipartisan study panel on biodefense, A National Blueprint for Biodefense made thirty-three recommendations to advance biopreparedness in the United States. A year later in December 2016, a report titled, The Biodefense Indicators: One Year Later, Events Outpacing Efforts to Defend the Nation (The “One Year Later Report”) provides compelling evidence that much work remains to be done. Within the thirty-three recommendations in the original National Blueprint for Biodefense, forty-six specific action items were designated for execution as a short-term action within a year or less. Among these, twenty-seven were not addressed by any action during the past year. Seventeen received partial action while only two of these were deemed completed. Continuing efforts to protect our populations from biological threats is imperative and warrant immediate constructive short-term action.","PeriodicalId":15179,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Bioterrorism and Biodefense","volume":"144 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79924204","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Biodefense Preparedness Programs: To Fund or Not to Fund?","authors":"R. Dhaked","doi":"10.4172/2157-2526.1000E122","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4172/2157-2526.1000E122","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":15179,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Bioterrorism and Biodefense","volume":"17 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81721774","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Securing the Biowatch Web Portal","authors":"pHarry Jacksonp","doi":"10.4172/2157-2526.1000153","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4172/2157-2526.1000153","url":null,"abstract":"The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) BioWatch program is the only nationwide early detection system to provide warning, and situational awareness, to DHS decision makers, in the event of a bioterrorism attack. The BioWatch Web Portal is the means by which DHS collects, analyzes, and shares, bio-threat information amongst federal, state, and local jurisdictions. Integrity and confidentiality of the information collected by the portal is paramount to that decision makers make decisions on reliable, and accurate information. Just as important is the appropriate safeguarding of such information so that a malicious actor is denied sufficient detail as to the methods, materials, and false negative rates that would enable such an actor to spoof the system or circumvent detection. An internal and external assessment analysis of the BioWatch Web Portal revealed that sufficient security controls to mitigate risk posed to the integrity and confidentiality of information processed by the BioWatch Web Portal was not in place. Furthermore, it was discovered that security countermeasures were not in place to detect a possible breach. In addition, it was discovered that the information processes information at the SECRET level security classification.","PeriodicalId":15179,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Bioterrorism and Biodefense","volume":"53 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"77354817","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Codification of Islamic Republic of Iran's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Native Reaction Protocol to Suspected Ebola Patients based on World Protocols","authors":"B. Irannejad, A. Jadidi, Mehdi Safarabadi","doi":"10.4172/2157-2526.1000151","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4172/2157-2526.1000151","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: Biological threats are one of the greatest dangers that threaten national security of different countries. Ebola haemorrhagic fever is one of these threats and there is no guideline that helps us to deal with suspected cases in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Iran. Objective: This study has been conducted to develop native guidelines reaction, based on world protocols, in Emergency Medical Services of the Islamic Republic of Iran in facing Ebola. Method: This study is considered literature review and was conducted by library studies. At first we started by identifying the domestic and international organizations and centres then visiting the sites and information resources available, we searched for proper keywords then we collected and localized all guidelines and instructions about dealing with Ebola. In the end a comprehensive chart was provided to determine the way of facing and transporting patients suspected with Ebola by care and pre-hospital emergency personnel. Discussion: Based on general facts, overview guidelines should be useful to establish native compilation that includes planning and preparation, screening (telephone triage) patients, special assessment and transmit team via telephone calls, making necessary coordination with other organizations and units within and outside the organization, preparation for patient transport, preparation and carrying out some activities after transporting and the process of evaluation after transferring patients. Conclusion: To succeed in facing similar diseases, considering the need to write native guidelines for each country according to the generalities mentioned, all organizations and institutions involved, should start working in concert with each other and the instructions and practice manoeuvres should be performed again and again to review and fix bugs.","PeriodicalId":15179,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Bioterrorism and Biodefense","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89965739","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Arboterrorism: Doubtful Delusion or Deadly Danger","authors":"M. Kwak","doi":"10.4172/2157-2526.1000152","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4172/2157-2526.1000152","url":null,"abstract":"Arboterrorism, the weaponisation and use of arthropod vectors carrying pathogenic microbes, is a worrying possibility in an age of rapidly accelerating biology. Historically, arboterrorism has attracted minimal research and the probability of such attacks occurring has been unclear. For the first time the logistics of such attacks are discussed along with potential vectors and pathogens. A novel biodefence strategy against arboterrorism is also proposed.","PeriodicalId":15179,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Bioterrorism and Biodefense","volume":"33 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87621587","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Exploitation of Glycobiology in Anti-Adhesion Approaches against Biothreat Agents","authors":"Marta Utratna, S. Deegan, L. Joshi","doi":"10.4172/2157-2526.1000150","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4172/2157-2526.1000150","url":null,"abstract":"Pathogen adherence to a host cell is one of the first essential steps for establishing invasion, colonization and release of virulence factors such as toxins. Understanding the mechanisms used by pathogens and toxins to adhere and invade human cells could lead to the development of new strategies for preventing and controlling the spread of infectious diseases. This review focuses on carbohydrate-lectin interactions utilized by selected biothreat agents to bind and invade host cells. The principle of using anti-adhesion molecules, based on glycobiology research, has already been shown to be effective in the treatment of influenza. Therefore, translating the same principle to other biothreat agents that mediate invasion of a host cell through carbohydrate-lectin mechanisms is a very promising strategy. We investigate recent literature to highlight the latest developments in the field of glycobiology focused on inhibiting the initial steps of pathogen invasion, with examples for bacteria, toxin and virus interactions. The successful glycomimetics and glycoconjugates represent strategies for interruption of adhesion by single molecules and in multivalent systems against uropathogenic E. coli, several toxins (Shiga-like, cholera, botulinum) and well-known or emerging viruses (influenza, HIV, Ebola, and Zika). This review provides promising directions and prophylactic as well as therapeutic potential of anti-adhesive strategies against selected biothreat targets.","PeriodicalId":15179,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Bioterrorism and Biodefense","volume":"25 1","pages":"1-9"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74231059","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Opportunities and Challenges of Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibodies as Medical Countermeasures for Biodefense","authors":"Wei-Gang Hu, L. Nagata","doi":"10.4172/2157-2526.1000149","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4172/2157-2526.1000149","url":null,"abstract":"Antibodies, naturally produced in the body as part of the immune response to infectious agents, can also be introduced artificially to treat infectious diseases. Advances in biotechnology in the last decades have made human or humanized monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) as therapeutics possible. These therapeutic mAbs currently enjoy unprecedented success and recognition of their potential. Unlike vaccines, therapeutic mAbs can confer instant and consistent protection against bio-threat agents when administered regardless of the recipient’s immune status. Therapeutic mAbs can be administered in higher levels than those elicited by vaccines, and thus provide a higher level of protection or treatment that is necessary in a biological attack where people are exposed to a higher exposure of agent concentration than that found in nature. Furthermore, therapeutic mAbs have substantial advantages over antimicrobial drugs, such as high specificity, low systemic toxicity, relatively long half-life, and no concerns over disrupting the body’s microbiome. Therapeutic mAbs can be used for both pre- and post-exposure protection; therefore, they have great value as effective medical countermeasures (MedCMs) against bio-threat agents. However, there are still some challenges to be overcome before therapeutic mAbs become ideal MedCMs against bio-threat agents. In this review, both opportunities and challenges in development of therapeutic mAbs are discussed.","PeriodicalId":15179,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Bioterrorism and Biodefense","volume":"24 2 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87299668","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Helminths as Weapons of Bioterrorism: an Unrecognised Threat","authors":"M. Kwak","doi":"10.4172/2157-2526.1000148","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4172/2157-2526.1000148","url":null,"abstract":"Parasitic worms, more commonly known as helminths, have a significant effect on global human health. However, this group of pathogens has been overlooked by bioterrorism researchers and analysts as possible agents who may be weaponised and deployed by terrorist groups or rogue states. For the first time, the dangers posed by these agents are highlighted along with the potential of the group for weaponisation. The first biodefense strategies against helminthic bioweapons are also proposed. \u0000Keywords \u0000Parasites; Biodefense; Bioweapons; Foodborne; Nematode; Trematode; Cestode; Terrorism; Public health; Rogue state","PeriodicalId":15179,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Bioterrorism and Biodefense","volume":"2 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89676832","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Development of Recombinant Domains of Protective Antigen of Bacillus anthracis and Evaluation of their Immune Response in Mouse Model for Use as Vaccine Candidates for Anthrax","authors":"A. Varshney, A. Goel","doi":"10.4172/2157-2526.1000147","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4172/2157-2526.1000147","url":null,"abstract":"Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax is considered as the most important biological warfare agent. This Gram-positive, spore forming bacterium has three modes of infection i.e. cutaneous, inhalational and gastrointestinal in human. The principal virulence factors of this bacterium consist of an anti-phagocytic capsule composed of poly-D-glutamic acid and a secreted tripartite bacterial toxin composed of protective antigen (PA), lethal factor (LF) and edema factor (EF). PA is the pivotal protein of the anthrax toxin complex and immune response to PA is central to protection against B. anthracis. In this study, overlapping portions of four different domains of PA were cloned and expressed. The recombinant proteins were purified and used for immunization in mice. The ELISA results showed that all the domains elicited high antibody titres in vaccinated animals. However domain PAD3-4 showed the highest immune response against PA. Among the IgG subtypes, IgG1 response was predominant in all the immunized groups followed by IgG2. This indicated the induction of Th2 type immune responses against all the recombinant protein vaccine candidates. The study showed that the individual domains have also the potential as vaccine candidates for anthrax.","PeriodicalId":15179,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Bioterrorism and Biodefense","volume":"45 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76207748","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Radicalized Health Care Workers and the Risk of Ebola as a Bioterror Weapon","authors":"Theodore L. Aquino","doi":"10.4172/2157-2526.1000146","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4172/2157-2526.1000146","url":null,"abstract":"A biological attack employing the deliberate spread of Ebola virus by radicalized health care workers is a significant public health and national security threat. The chain of custody for medical materials contaminated with Ebola can be vast, and opportunities for health care workers to self-infect themselves with Ebola exist. As demonstrated in recent years, Westerners will support Islamic terror organizations by carrying out attacks on domestic soil. This paper addresses scenarios by which Ebola virus could be disseminated into unsuspecting populations by health care workers. Also elucidated are risk mitigation methods.","PeriodicalId":15179,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Bioterrorism and Biodefense","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82986186","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}