A call to arms-the role of the dermatologist as front line responder

As the risk of bioterrorism becomes an increasingly significant issue in the United States and the world, dermatologists have found themselves as partners or front line participants in the effort to prepare for and respond to such a threat. In what was previously an unfamiliar part of practice for most dermatologists, bioterrorism has required that providers familiarize themselves with the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis,and management of diseases from agents that could potentially be used.