Master Of Medicine

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CDC has divided potential bioterrorism agents into 3 categories Category A, Cat B and Cat C.

Category A

Easily disseminated and result in high mortality, hence given the highest priority.

1. Anthrax
2. Botulism
3. Plague
4. Small Pox
5. Tularemia
6. Viral hemorrhagic fevers

• Lassa fever
• Crimean congo fever
• Ebola
• Marburg

Plague is one of the most potent members of this group, because pnemonic plague has a mortality of 100% if untreated and it has person to person transmission

Category B

Moderately easy to disseminate and result in moderate mortality and morbidity, hence given second highest priority.

1. Brucellosis
2. Glanders
3. Meliodosis
4. Q fever
5. Typhus fever
6. Viral encephalitis
7. Cholera

Category C

Emerging pathogens against which the general population lacks immunity

1. Nipah virus
2. Hanta virus
3. SARS virus
4. Influenza virus