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Epidemiologic clues to bioterrorism.

Tracee A Treadwell1, Denise Koo, Kathleen Kuker

  • 1Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Program, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. tet8@cdc.gov

Public Health Reports (Washington, D.C. : 1974)
|April 12, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Public health investigations must now consider bioterrorism as a cause of disease outbreaks. This paper outlines epidemiologic clues to identify deliberately introduced infections and outlines agency involvement during such events.

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Area of Science:

  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health
  • Infectious Disease Outbreak Investigation

Background:

  • Historically, disease outbreaks were predominantly natural occurrences.
  • Recent events involving deliberate dissemination of Bacillus anthracis (B. anthracis) necessitate a reevaluation of public health investigation protocols.
  • Bioterrorism introduces unpredictability into outbreak patterns, challenging traditional epidemiologic methods.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose specific epidemiologic clues indicative of bioterrorism-related disease outbreaks.
  • To describe the inter-agency coordination process for responding to suspected bioterrorism events.
  • To enhance the preparedness of public health systems for novel infectious disease threats.

Main Methods:

  • Review and analysis of epidemiologic characteristics of disease outbreaks.

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  • Identification of patterns distinguishing natural from deliberately introduced infections.
  • Outline of governmental and public health agency roles in outbreak response.

    • Main Results:

    • Development of a set of epidemiologic indicators suggestive of bioterrorism.
    • Description of a framework for multi-agency collaboration in bioterrorism investigations.
    • Highlighting the reduced predictability of deliberately caused outbreaks compared to natural ones.

    Conclusions:

    • Public health investigations require adaptation to include bioterrorism as a potential cause.
    • Recognizing specific epidemiologic clues is crucial for early detection of bioterrorism events.
    • Effective inter-agency communication and response are vital for managing bioterrorism-related public health emergencies.