Bioterrorism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Bioterrorism - Research Paper Example k of severe, unexplained acute respiratory disease now known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in the Spring of 1993, the nationwide foodborne salmonellosis outbreak caused by contaminated ice cream that accounted for an estimated 250,000 cases in the fall of 1994, and the increasing problems posed by antimicrobial-resistant organisms in community and health-care settings† (Hughes, 1999, par. 2). The article written by Tucker (1999) has revealed that most of the biological agent cases turned out to be hoaxes. As explicitly revealed, â€Å"of the terrorist attacks with biological agents, only one resulted in casualties: the use by the Rajneeshee cult in 1984 of Salmonella Typhimurium bacteria to contaminate restaurant salad bars in The Dalles, Oregon. This event caused 751 cases of food poisoning, none fatal† (Tucker: Conclusion, 1999, par. 1). Despite the differences in findings, the government has obviously been keen on evaluating, monitoring, and assuming a proactive stance in addressing terrorist attacks, especially involving biological agents (Hughes, 1999). According to the Homeland Security, a national biodefense program has been put into place to address threats of biological agents (Homeland Security, n.d.). It was therefore disclosed that as part of the intensified need to address threats of bioterrorism, the Homeland Security has been assigned to establish four pillars of the defense program, to wit: â€Å"Threat Awareness; Prevention and Protection; Surveillance and Detection; (and) Response and Recovery† (Homeland Security, n.d., p. 1). As part of the government’s public health policy, close coordination and collaboration with state and federal health agencies are encouraged, especially in examining potential biological threats. As emphasized, â€Å"intelligence analysts and biodefense experts at the National Biological Threat Characterization Center conduct studies and laboratory experiments, filling in information gaps to help us better understand and