Ryan C Patrick
Veterinary Public Health and Rabies Control, Disease Control Programs, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, 7601 E. Imperial Hwy., Bldg. 700, Ste. 94A, Downey, CA 90242, USA.
Public Health Rep. 2008 May-Jun;123(3):276-81. doi: 10.1177/003335490812300308.
Bioterrorism is the deliberate release of viruses, bacteria, or other agents used "to cause illness or death in people, animals, or plants. Only modest microbiologic skills are needed to produce and effectively use biologic weapons. And biological warfare has afflicted campaigns throughout military history, at times playing an important role in determining their outcomes. There is a long list of potential pathogens for use by terrorists, but only a few are easy to prepare and disperse. Of the infectious diseases, the vast majority are zoonoses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's highest-priority bioterrorism agents are in Category A. The only disease that does not affect animals in Category A is smallpox, which was eliminated by a worldwide vaccination program in the late 1970s. Because these diseases can infect animals and humans, the medical and veterinary communities should work closely together in clinical, public health, and research settings.
生物恐怖主义是故意释放病毒、细菌或其他制剂，“以致使人类、动物或植物患病或死亡”。制造并有效使用生物武器仅需适度的微生物学技能。生物战在整个军事历史中都困扰着诸多战役，有时在决定战役结果方面发挥着重要作用。恐怖分子可利用的潜在病原体有一长串，但仅有少数易于制备和传播。在传染病中，绝大多数是人畜共患病。美国疾病控制与预防中心将最高优先级的生物恐怖主义制剂列为A类。A类中唯一不感染动物的疾病是天花，它在20世纪70年代末通过全球疫苗接种计划被消灭。由于这些疾病可感染动物和人类，医学和兽医领域应在临床、公共卫生及研究环境中密切合作。
