Bioterrorism Sources
This page provides access to selected, authoritative information sources on the scientific aspects of bioterrorism, including biological, medical, chemical, and engineering.
U.S. Government Departments/Agencies
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Emergency Preparedness & Response - Contains authoritative and up-to-date clinical and public information regarding anthrax and other bioterrorism agents. Provides bioterrorism fact sheets, guidelines, notification protocols, news, Frequently Asked Questions, links, and more. Includes information about CDC roles and national programs such as the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile and the Health Alert Network. In English and Spanish languages.
- Anthrax Information pertaining to anthrax to help private and public health care providers develop plans to prepare for and respond to acts of bioterrorism.
- Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL) 5th Edition. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Institutes of Health Fifth Edition, February 2007.
- Bioterrorism Training and Education Videos, slide presentations, podcasts, book chapters, and more on the following topics: anthrax, botulism, plague, smallpox, viral hemorrhagic fevers.
- Chemical Agents A to Z list of agents. May also sort by type of chemical or by the effects a chemical exposure.
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - Counterterrorism - Site includes information related to public health initiatives and preparedness, food security, and biological agents.
- Homeland Security - information about the Department's mission to guard against terrorism and improve the country's readiness for, response to, and recovery from disasters.
- MedlinePlus - Biodefense and Bioterrorism - Contains carefully selected links to web resources with authoritative health information, including access to News, General/Overviews, Coping, Prevention/Screening, Specific Conditions/Aspects, and Treatment. Geared specifically toward a consumer health audience.
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - NIAID is the primary Institute at NIH for emerging infectious disease research, including research on agents of bioterrorism. NIAID provides the research needed to understand the pathogenesis of these mircrobes and the host response to them, and to translate this knowledge into useful interventions and diagnostic tools for an effective response.
- Specialized Information Services (SIS) Division of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) - SIS is responsible for information resources and services in toxicology, environmental health, chemistry, HIV/AIDS, and specialized topics in minority health. SIS provides access to online databases, responds to queries, produces bibliographies and other publications, and works with other Federal government agencies to provide health information to the world.
- Public Health Emergency from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR)
Provides information regarding the ASPR's role in emergency preparedness and response in the event of a biological or other public health emergency.
- U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO)
Universities
- Haverford College -- Database of Terrorist Acts - Includes public datasets of terrorist events. Part of the Global Terrorism Resource Database from Haverford College.
- Penn State -- Aerobiological Engineering -- Bioterrorism and Immune Building Technology - Lists potential airborne biological weapons principle agents of chemical weapons, release mechanisms, dissemination in buildings, immune building technology and an extensive bibliography. From Penn State's Department of Architectural Engineering.
- University of Iowa -- Hardin MD - Bioterrorism / Biological Warfare - List of online resources created by the Hardin Library for the Health Sciences, University of Iowa.
- University of Minnesota -- Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) - The University of Minnesota's CIDRAP's mission is to prevent illness and death from infectious diseases through epidemiologic research and the rapid translation of scientific information into real-world practical applications and solutions. The current focus is in four key areas: public health, preparedness, emerging infectious disease response, agricultural and food biosecurity, and food safety.
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center -- Center for Biosecurity - "The Center for Biosecurity is an independent, nonprofit organization of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). The Center works to affect policy and practice in ways that lessen the illness, death, and civil disruption that would follow large-scale epidemics, whether they occur naturally or result from the use of a biological weapon."
- Saint Louis University School of Public Health -- Institute for Biosecurity - The Institute for Biosecurity (formerly the Center for the Study of Bioterrorism and Emerging Infections) at Saint Louis University School of Public Health was established in 2000 with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Institute carries out bioterrorism and preparedness research and addresses emerging infectious diseases, naturally occurring or introduced by terrorists. The Institute also develops educational material covering management of the consequences of chemical, radiological, and nuclear terrorism.
Societies & Non-Government Organizations
- American Academy of Family Physicians - Bioterrorism - Primer on anthrax and small pox: definitions, diagnoses, contagiousness, and treatment information.
- American Society for Microbiology Biodefense Resources Center
- Medical Library Association - Bioterrorism Bibliographies and Resources - Compilation of print and web bioterrorism resources derived from the MEDLIB-L listserv in response to the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
- Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism (MIPT) - Contains information on preventing and deterring terrorism or mitigating its effects. Articles, reports, and fact sheets are available.
- National Academies - Conflict and Security Issues: Policy, Reviews and Evaluations - "The National Academies conduct research in conflict and security issues that address problems associated with international security, conflict, and arms control. Problem-solving discussions help to develop ideas and strategies that promote new, cooperative approaches to security issues. This research also offers in-depth analysis and recommendations about crucial security problems."
- Partners in Information Access for the Public Health Workforce - Bioterrorism - Links to resources on topics such as Biological/Chemical Agents, Surveillance, Discussion Lists, and Education & Training. Partners is a collaboration of U.S. government agencies, public health organizations, and health sciences libraries.
Military
International Agencies
- International Atomic Energy Agency - The IAEA works with its Member States and multiple partners worldwide to promote safe, secure and peaceful nuclear technologies.
- World Health Organization - Global Alert and Response - The revised International Health Regulations, IHR (2005) provide a global framework to address these needs through a collective approach to the prevention, detection, and timely response to any public health emergency of international concern. Global Alert and Response (GAR) is an integrated global alert and response system for epidemics and other public health emergencies based on strong national public health systems and capacity and an effective international system for coordinated response.
- World Health Organization - Global Health Atlas - WHO’s Communicable Disease Global Atlas is bringing together for analysis and comparison standardized data and statistics for infectious diseases at country, regional, and global levels.
- World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (GHO) - "The Global Health Observatory (GHO) is WHO's portal providing access to data and analyses for monitoring the global health situation. It provides critical data and analyses for key health themes, as well as direct access to the full database."
Journal Literature
University of Chicago Campus Resources
- Emergency Management - The University's Emergency Management website includes the Emergency Management Plan, which outlines steps for responding to and recovering from University-wide emergencies; cAlert, the Emergency Notification System; and more.
- Environmental Health and Safety - The University of Chicago provides a complete safety program through Safety and Environmental Affairs to alleviate or reduce the severity of exposure to conditions or actions that can cause personal injury or put the University out of compliance with applicable regulations. This goal is accomplished by the identification, analysis, and the development of corrective action plans to alleviate or reduce the severity of risk to students, faculty and staff to injurious conditions or actions. All buildings and laboratories comprising the University of Chicago are inspected on an annual basis to identify and locate infractions of fire, laboratory, radiation safety or general safety concerns.
- Master of Science in Threat and Response Management - The Master of Science in Threat and Response Management at the University of Chicago's Graham School of General Studies is designed to prepare public health professionals, law enforcement officials, fire and emergency personnel, medical and nursing professionals, and policy makers to respond to and recover from complex incidents regardless of their size or cause.
- Library resources and services for Threat and Response Management program
