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Genomic Efforts With Biodefense Pathogens

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Book cover Biological Weapons Defense

Part of the book series: Infectious Disease ((ID))

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Abstract

Events following the attacks on New York City and Washington, DC on September 11, 2001, have served to underscore the need for extensive research on biological warfare (BW) and other agents in order to aid the initiative to fight terrorism worldwide. During the Cold War era, the former USSR covertly developed, tested, and stockpiled immense amounts of biological weapons in an effort to build the largest and most advanced biological warfare program in the world. The knowledge developed in these laboratories and manufacturing sites has since undoubtedly spread to other regimes and terrorist organizations. Research on these agents of bioterrorism concern is of highest priority to enhance diagnostic, preventative, and therapeutic measures. Pathogens that may be potentially adapted for biological warfare include those causing smallpox (Variola), anthrax (Bacillus anthracis), plague (Yersinia pestis), tularemia (Francisella tularensis), brucellosis (Brucella abortus, B. melitensis, B. suis, B. canis), Q fever (Coxiella burnetii), botulism (Clostridium botulinum), glanders (Burkholderia mallei), and enterotoxin B producing Staphylococcus spp. All of these agents constitute considerable threat to military personnel and civilians alike in the dreaded event of a bioterrorist affront.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Institute for Genomic Research, Rockville, MD

    Rekha Seshadri PhD, Timothy D. Read PhD, William C. Nierman PhD & Ian T. Paulsen PhD

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  1. Rekha Seshadri PhD
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  2. Timothy D. Read PhD
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  3. William C. Nierman PhD
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  4. Ian T. Paulsen PhD
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology Directorate, National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center, Fort Detrick, MD

    Luther E. Lindler PhD  & George W. Korch PhD (Deputy Director) &  (Deputy Director)

  2. Department of Bacterial Diseases, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD

    Luther E. Lindler PhD

  3. Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD

    Frank J. Lebeda PhD

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© 2005 Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ

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Seshadri, R., Read, T.D., Nierman, W.C., Paulsen, I.T. (2005). Genomic Efforts With Biodefense Pathogens. In: Lindler, L.E., Lebeda, F.J., Korch, G.W. (eds) Biological Weapons Defense. Infectious Disease. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-764-5:417

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-764-5:417

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-184-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-764-2

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