biological agents

What are biological agents? They're organisms that cause injury or death to a human, animal, or plant. Some of the most common biological agents are bacteria, viruses, parasites, and toxins. In this post, we're going to go over some specific examples of biological agents. We'll also talk about how you can protect yourself from these organisms in the future.

toxins: A toxin is a poisonous substance that is released by some plants, animals, and microorganisms.

parasites: These are organisms that live and feed off another life form. There are many different kinds of parasites, some of which cause disease or even death (e.g., malaria, pinworms). Viral infections and bacterial diseases are examples of such parasites.

bacteria: Bacteria are single-cell organisms that can exist in many forms (e.g., as a cell wall or as smaller "groups" called bacteria-like structures). Most bacteria use the energy from your body to grow and reproduce. Some bacteria have been used for centuries in the medical profession to treat certain diseases. Bacterial infections include pneumonia, tuberculosis, and cholera.

viruses: Viruses are the smallest biological agents. They're made of a small amount of genetic material (DNA or RNA) enclosed by a protein coat. Viruses can't reproduce on their own, so they rely on the cells of living organisms to produce more viruses. Viruses cause other types of diseases, including SARS and HIV/AIDS. To protect yourself against viruses, you should wash your hands frequently.

Here's a list of the top 10 biological agents around the world that you should be aware of:

1) Bacillus anthracis: Anthrax is caused by inhaling aerosolized Bacillus anthracis spores. Infection with this agent can lead to metritis and various forms of septicemia in humans. The disease starts with flu-like symptoms which progress into necrotizing pneumonia and end with severe intestinal bleeding.

2) Botulinum toxin: This is commonly known as Botulism. Humans are exposed when eating improperly canned foods which contain a high concentration of the toxin or by getting in contact with the bacteria itself. The initial symptoms are identical to those of food poisoning and include vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and weakness. Over the next 24 to 36 hours the patient will progress to double and blurred vision, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, slurred speech, difficulty moving muscles of affected limbs, and a loss of consciousness.

3) Burkholderia pseudomallei: This bacterium is best known for causing Melioidosis which occurs when in contact with soil containing contaminated water. It's a Gram-negative bacterium that can cause pneumonia, skin abscesses, and various types of septicemia in humans.

4) Brucella species: Brucellosis is caused by inhaling contaminated dust or eating contaminated infected animal products. This agent is transmitted from animals to humans. The most common symptoms are arthritis, fever, sweats, and weight loss which may lead to chronic pain and progressive weakness.

5) Clostridium botulinum: This organism produces the world's most toxic substance known as Botulinum toxin. It's a gram-positive rod in which 2 toxins are produced at different temperatures (a proteolytic toxin and a neurotoxin). Symptoms of exposure include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, dizziness, double vision or loss of vision. The toxin affects the nervous system and can lead to respiratory paralysis and death.

6) Cowpox virus: This virus is usually spread through direct contact with animals to humans. In larger quantities, it may be transmitted when the virus is in contact with broken skin or mucus membranes. It has a high mortality rate if not treated appropriately. Familiarize yourself with any lesions caused by this agent as it causes similar symptoms as smallpox (blisters that turn into scabs).

7) Francisella tularensis: This bacterium can cause tularemia which is transmitted through water or food contaminated with animal waste. Tularemia is generally spread through inhalation. The most common symptoms are high fever, headache, vomiting, chills, and weakness.

8) Haemophilus influenza type B: This bacterium is one of the most common causes of bacterial meningitis in people with compromised immune systems. It can be transmitted through contaminated hands and has many other associated symptoms such as earache, headache, and swelling of the face or lower jaw.

9) Klebsiella pneumoniae; This bacterium affects the respiratory tract causing pneumonia which can progress to a necrotizing process where tissue necrosis occurs which results in shortness of breath and fever. An abscess may also form in the lung if left untreated.

10) Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare: This bacterium can cause lung infections and respiratory failure. It is generally a slow growing infection but is extremely infectious. Symptoms include cough, fever, and painful, swollen lymph nodes in the neck.

11) Nocardia asteroids: This bacterium primarily causes pneumonia which generally results in death if not treated appropriately within six weeks of contraction. Symptoms will range from fever and chills to muscle aches to shortness of breath and coughing. The symptoms are often confused with flu and some patients may suffer a rapid deterioration of health without a diagnostic test due to the speed at which the disease progresses.

How to protect from biological agents?

There are a few things that you can do to protect yourself from biological agents.

1) Be aware of the 11 Most Dangerous Biological Agents. This is a list of the top agents to know about and their symptoms so that you can identify them or know what steps to take if you suspect that you've been exposed.

2) Follow these basic Biological Agent Protection tips. This includes the steps of knowing how each agent spreads, how to identify the symptoms, what steps to take if you are exposed (like wearing gloves and a face mask), and what to do if someone is exposed (like washing your hands).

3) Practice good hygiene. Washing your hands frequently will help reduce the risk of transmitting harmful organisms.

The threat of a biological attack is very real and is something that you should take seriously. Knowing what to do if this occurs can help you protect yourself and those that you love as well as your community and the greater population. While you may not be able to completely stop an attack, following these steps can at least reduce the impact on your body so that it doesn't affect you as long or have as many symptoms as if you were taken over by surprise.