Bio-terrorism includes the deliberate release of bacteria, viruses, or any other germs that are aimed at causing death and disease in people, animals or plants. These biological agents can be natural or genetically synthesized to increase their ability to cause disease, be resistant to current medicine, or increase their ability to spread. Bioterrorism is a real and growing threat in the 21st century. This threat calls for planned early detection and control. There have been efforts by the United States, Canada, and the European Union to address bio-terrorism over the years. However, these efforts are inefficient and not sufficient to counter a bioterrorist attack.
There is a lack of citizen and community preparedness. Whereas the United States, Canada and the European Union countries have made significant investments in professional preparations, little attention has been paid to the broader public. Preparing the citizens is an important variable in effective preparedness and response to a bio-terror attack. An unprepared public cannot be able to take positive actions, and is vulnerable both psychologically and physically. The current bioterror protection and response plans do not take into account the actions and concerns of laypeople. Rather they consider only what professionals must do whereas laypeople are regarded as problems to be controlled. Having professionals to respond to a bioterror attack is worthy, but not enough a venture as it only addresses half of the problem. If laypeople were to be aware of the threat and be provided with information on how to protect themselves, it would not only make them resilient but also it will make the jobs of the professionals far easier. There is a dire need to educate the public on how to protect themselves in the event of a bioterror attack. Safety information (however scary) and appropriate actions should be shared out to them.
There is a deficiency in the fundamental and the underlying healthcare infrastructure defenses of the countries under threat. Healthcare personnel are the first-line defense against bioterrorist attacks. It is important that they be trained to identify and probe clinical patterns and illness that may be symptomatic of probable exposure to biological agents or uncommon disease pathogens. However, this has not been the case. Not all health-care providers have been provided with the opportunity of developing awareness of potential bioweapon agents. Furthermore, they have not been given access to lab diagnostic testing resources and technologies essential to rapidly and precisely detect infective agents that may be crucial to national safety. It is vital that all primary healthcare personnel, emergency medical personnel, and first responders be given an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the epidemiology and clinical indicators of biological agents of terror.
Furthermore, the current health-care infrastructure and personnel is not ready and sufficient for a large-scale infection. A large eruption of an infectious disease will place a huge burden on the healthcare systems, and they will be quickly saturated. A study by National Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism events (CREATE) shows that the US lacks a working plan to mobilize all useful national resources in response to a disaster involving a large number of affected people. Whereas this study was done in the US, it is a true reflection of other regions that are potential bioterrorism attack areas. A report by GAO highlights that under-staffing is a major concern. Large number of patients would seek medical attention, with a corresponding want for medicinal supplies, hospital beds, and diagnostic tests.
Potential bioterrorist agents are numerous. Terrorists might employ a combination of these agents and even worse attack in numerous locations using new agents. As such, simultaneous special attention and response will be required in different locales. Great amounts of resources to detect and investigate the unknown diseases while at the same time taking care and treating those already infected. This reality is worrying. The current healthcare systems in the US, Canada and European Union countries are not prepared for this circumstance. State and local healthcare agencies lack the capacity to investigate unexplained illnesses and unusual events, and diagnostic laboratories are not fully equipped to identify new biological agents. In addition, advances in technology have brought the science of weaponizing diseases within reach. Tools and technologies are readily available, with which any unsophisticated technician can implement to create a bioweapon. Therefore, bioterrorism threats can arise anywhere, and tracking them is not an easy feat.
The United States, Canada, and the European Union countries are the highest bio-terrorism risk areas. Bioterrorist attacks pose unique challenges for preparedness, protection, and response. Efforts by countries in these areas to combat bioterrorism are wanting. Empowering the public is a key element to a bioterror attack preparedness and response. Informed people can take measures that will improve their safety, decrease the burden on healthcare systems, and enable a speedy return to normality. Furthermore, more efforts should be channeled to training of primary care and medical providers to recognize clinical signs and exposure patterns that are indicative of exposure to biological toxins, bioweapon pathogens, toxic chemicals, and radiological patterns. The healthcare infrastructure needs a capacity expansion to provide medical care and infection control on a massive scale.
References
Cole, Leonard. “Bioterrorism: Still a threat to the United States.” CTC Sentinel 5, no. 1 (2012): 8-11.
Danzig, Richard, Rachel Kleinfeld, and Philip Bleek. After an Attack: Preparing Citizens for Bioterrorism.New York: Center for a New American Security, 2007.
Julie, Gerberding, Louise, James M. Hughes, and Jeffrey P. Koplan. "Bioterrorism preparedness and response: clinicians and public health agencies as essential partners." JAMA 287, no. 7 (2002): 898-900.
Khan, Ali, Stephen Morse, and Scott Lillibridge. "Public-health preparedness for biological terrorism in the USA." The Lancet 356, no. 9236 (2000): 1179-1182.
Shalala, Donna. “Bioterrorism: How Prepared Are We?” Emerging Infectious Diseases 12, no. 4 (2009).
Tegnell, Anders, Fredrik, and ElghRoffey Lantorp. "Biological weapons and bioterrorism preparedness: importance of public‐health awareness and international cooperation." Clinical microbiology and infection 8, no. 8 (2002): 522-528.
