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Biological weapons

Biological weapons Brucella has traditionally been considered a biological weapon. It was the subject of extensive offensive research in the past, and still belongs to category B pathogens on most lists. Its propensity for airborne transmission and induction of chronic debilitating disease requiring combined antibiotic regimens for treatment, its abundance around the world and its vague clinical characteristics defying rapid clinical diagnosis are some of the characteristics that apply to the pathogen’s weapons potential. Yet minimal mortality, availability of treatment options, protracted inoculation period and the emergence of new, more virulent potential weapons means that its inclusion among agents of bioterrorism is nowadays mainly of historical significance. Nevertheless, in the interest of literacy and of avoiding panic, physicians and the public both should be aware of the most common zoonosis worldwide. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences Springer Journals

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References (53)

Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © 2006 by Birkhäuser Verlag, Basel
Subject
Life Sciences; Biomedicine general; Life Sciences, general; Biochemistry, general; Cell Biology
ISSN
1420-682X
eISSN
1420-9071
DOI
10.1007/s00018-006-6311-4
pmid
16964579
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Brucella has traditionally been considered a biological weapon. It was the subject of extensive offensive research in the past, and still belongs to category B pathogens on most lists. Its propensity for airborne transmission and induction of chronic debilitating disease requiring combined antibiotic regimens for treatment, its abundance around the world and its vague clinical characteristics defying rapid clinical diagnosis are some of the characteristics that apply to the pathogen’s weapons potential. Yet minimal mortality, availability of treatment options, protracted inoculation period and the emergence of new, more virulent potential weapons means that its inclusion among agents of bioterrorism is nowadays mainly of historical significance. Nevertheless, in the interest of literacy and of avoiding panic, physicians and the public both should be aware of the most common zoonosis worldwide.

Journal

Cellular and Molecular Life SciencesSpringer Journals

Published: Sep 9, 2006

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