Table of Contents
What is a biological agent used for?
A biological agent (also called bio-agent, biological threat agent, biological warfare agent, biological weapon, or bioweapon) is a bacterium, virus, protozoan, parasite, fungus, chemical, or toxin that can be used purposefully as a weapon in bioterrorism or biological warfare (BW).
What are the four types of biological agents?
Biological agents include bacteria, viruses, fungi, other microorganisms and their associated toxins.
What is biological detector?
A biosensor is an analytical device, used for the detection of a chemical substance, that combines a biological component with a physicochemical detector. The biologically sensitive elements can also be created by biological engineering.
How does a biological weapon work?
Biological weapons (BWs) deliver toxins and microorganisms, such as viruses and bacteria, so as to deliberately inflict disease among people, animals, and agriculture. Biological attacks can result in destruction of crops, temporarily discomforting a small community, killing large numbers of people, or other outcomes.
How are biological agents used to detect threats?
One identifies the organism, one detects a biological threat in general. In general, one detects a possible threat, the other identifies specific threats. This also keeps costs down. Detection devices and reagents are usually more inexpensive than identification techniques.
Where can I find biological agent detection equipment?
Please contact [email protected] regarding access to the following additional documents: Selection Guide, Handbook, and Market Survey Report on Biological Agent Detection Equipment. Find this project in the FEMA Authorized Equipment List and InterAgency Board Interactive Standardized Equipment List.
Which is harder to detect chemical agents or biological agents?
Biological agents including viruses, bacteria, and other naturally occurring pathogenic organisms, along with the toxins they produce, are considered far harder to detect and defend against than chemical agents. Here we provide an overview of the predominant molecular sensing technologies for the detection of these agents.
How are biological agents used in public health?
The predominant technologies used to detect and identify biothreat agents in public health laboratories are ( a) culture/biochemical reactions, ( b) ELISAs that detect a specific target antigen, and ( c) molecular assays that detect specific DNA sequences.