Biosecurity And Bioterrorism[JOURNAL]
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200 papers
Actionable knowledge and strategic decision making for bio- and agroterrorism threats: building a collaborative early warning culture.
Mårtensson PÅ, Hedström L, Sundelius B … +3 more , Skiby JE, Elbers A, Knutsson R
Biosecur Bioterror · 2013 Sep · PMID 23971822 · Publisher ↗
Current trends in biosecurity and cybersecurity include (1) the wide availability of technology and specialized knowledge that previously were available only to governments; (2) the global economic recession, which may i...
Current trends in biosecurity and cybersecurity include (1) the wide availability of technology and specialized knowledge that previously were available only to governments; (2) the global economic recession, which may increase the spread of radical non-state actors; and (3) recent US and EU commission reports that reflect concerns about non-state actors in asymmetric threats. The intersectoral and international nature of bioterrorism and agroterrorism threats requires collaboration across several sectors including intelligence, police, forensics, customs, and other law enforcement organizations who must work together with public and animal health organizations as well as environmental and social science organizations. This requires coordinated decision making among these organizations, based on actionable knowledge and information sharing. The risk of not sharing information among organizations compared to the benefit of sharing information can be considered in an "information sharing risk-benefit analysis" to prevent a terrorism incident from occurring and to build a rapid response capability. In the EU project AniBioThreat, early warning is the main topic in work package 3 (WP 3). A strategy has been generated based on an iterative approach to bring law enforcement agencies and human and animal health institutes together. Workshops and exercises have taken place during the first half of the project, and spin-off activities include new preparedness plans for institutes and the formation of a legal adviser network for decision making. In addition, a seminar on actionable knowledge was held in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2012, which identified the need to bring various agency cultures together to work on developing a resilient capability to identify early signs of bio- and agroterrorism threats. The seminar concluded that there are a number of challenges in building a collaborative culture, including developing an education program that supports collaboration and shared situational awareness.
Improved CBRN preparedness and response through teamwork and knowledge sharing.
Vahlberg C
Biosecur Bioterror · 2013 Sep · PMID 23971821 · Publisher ↗
Abstract loading — click title to view on PubMed.
Harmonization of European laboratory response networks by implementing CWA 15793: use of a gap analysis and an "insider" exercise as tools.
Sundqvist B, Bengtsson UA, Wisselink HJ … +9 more , Peeters BP, van Rotterdam B, Kampert E, Bereczky S, Johan Olsson NG, Szekely Björndal A, Zini S, Allix S, Knutsson R
Biosecur Bioterror · 2013 Sep · PMID 23971820 · Publisher ↗
Laboratory response networks (LRNs) have been established for security reasons in several countries including the Netherlands, France, and Sweden. LRNs function in these countries as a preparedness measure for a coordina...
Laboratory response networks (LRNs) have been established for security reasons in several countries including the Netherlands, France, and Sweden. LRNs function in these countries as a preparedness measure for a coordinated diagnostic response capability in case of a bioterrorism incident or other biocrimes. Generally, these LRNs are organized on a national level. The EU project AniBioThreat has identified the need for an integrated European LRN to strengthen preparedness against animal bioterrorism. One task of the AniBioThreat project is to suggest a plan to implement laboratory biorisk management CWA 15793:2011 (CWA 15793), a management system built on the principle of continual improvement through the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle. The implementation of CWA 15793 can facilitate trust and credibility in a future European LRN and is an assurance that the work done at the laboratories is performed in a structured way with continuous improvements. As a first step, a gap analysis was performed to establish the current compliance status of biosafety and laboratory biosecurity management with CWA 15793 in 5 AniBioThreat partner institutes in France (ANSES), the Netherlands (CVI and RIVM), and Sweden (SMI and SVA). All 5 partners are national and/or international laboratory reference institutes in the field of public or animal health and possess high-containment laboratories and animal facilities. The gap analysis showed that the participating institutes already have robust biorisk management programs in place, but several gaps were identified that need to be addressed. Despite differences between the participating institutes in their compliance status, these variations are not significant. Biorisk management exercises also have been identified as a useful tool to control compliance status and thereby implementation of CWA 15793. An exercise concerning an insider threat and loss of a biological agent was performed at SVA in the AniBioThreat project to evaluate implementation of the contingency plans and as an activity in the implementation process of CWA 15793. The outcome of the exercise was perceived as very useful, and improvements to enhance biorisk preparedness were identified. Gap analyses and exercises are important, useful activities to facilitate implementation of CWA 15793. The PDCA cycle will enforce a structured way to work, with continual improvements concerning biorisk management activities. Based on the activities in the AniBioThreat project, the following requirements are suggested to promote implementation: support from the top management of the organizations, knowledge about CWA 15793, a compliance audit checklist and gap analysis, training and exercises, networking in LRNs and other networks, and interinstitutional audits. Implementation of CWA 15793 at each institute would strengthen the European animal bioterrorism response capabilities by establishing a well-prepared LRN.
Development of a comparative risk ranking system for agents posing a bioterrorism threat to human or animal populations.
Tomuzia K, Menrath A, Frentzel H … +5 more , Filter M, Weiser AA, Bräunig J, Buschulte A, Appel B
Biosecur Bioterror · 2013 Sep · PMID 23971819 · Publisher ↗
Various systems for prioritizing biological agents with respect to their applicability as biological weapons are available, ranging from qualitative to (semi)quantitative approaches. This research aimed at generating a g...
Various systems for prioritizing biological agents with respect to their applicability as biological weapons are available, ranging from qualitative to (semi)quantitative approaches. This research aimed at generating a generic risk ranking system applicable to human and animal pathogenic agents based on scientific information. Criteria were evaluated and clustered to create a criteria list. Considering availability of data, a number of 28 criteria separated by content were identified that can be classified in 11 thematic areas or categories. Relevant categories contributing to probability were historical aspects, accessibility, production efforts, and possible paths for dispersion. Categories associated with impact are dealing with containment measures, availability of diagnostics, preventive and treatment measures in human and animal populations, impact on society, human and veterinary public health, and economic and ecological consequences. To allow data-based scoring, each criterion was described by at least 1 measure that allows the assignment of values. These values constitute quantities, ranges, or facts that are as explicit and precise as possible. The consideration of minimum and maximum values that can occur due to natural variations and that are often described in the literature led to the development of minimum and maximum criteria and consequently category scores. Missing or incomplete data, and uncertainty resulting therefrom, were integrated into the scheme via a cautious (but not overcautious) approach. The visualization technique that was used allows the description and illustration of uncertainty on the level of probability and impact. The developed risk ranking system was evaluated by assessing the risk originating from the bioterrorism threat of the animal pathogen bluetongue virus, the human pathogen Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7, the zoonotic Bacillus anthracis, and Botulinum neurotoxin.
Separated by a common language: awareness of term usage differences between languages and disciplines in biopreparedness.
Andersson MG, Tomuzia K, Löfström C … +11 more , Appel B, Bano L, Keremidis H, Knutsson R, Leijon M, Lövgren SE, De Medici D, Menrath A, van Rotterdam BJ, Wisselink HJ, Barker GC
Biosecur Bioterror · 2013 Sep · PMID 23971818 · Full text
Preparedness for bioterrorism is based on communication between people in organizations who are educated and trained in several disciplines, including law enforcement, health, and science. Various backgrounds, cultures,...
Preparedness for bioterrorism is based on communication between people in organizations who are educated and trained in several disciplines, including law enforcement, health, and science. Various backgrounds, cultures, and vocabularies generate difficulties in understanding and interpretating terms and concepts, which may impair communication. This is especially true in emergency situations, in which the need for clarity and consistency is vital. The EU project AniBioThreat initiated methods and made a rough estimate of the terms and concepts that are crucial for an incident, and a pilot database with key terms and definitions has been constructed. Analysis of collected terms and sources has shown that many of the participating organizations use various international standards in their area of expertise. The same term often represents different concepts in the standards from different sectors, or, alternatively, different terms were used to represent the same or similar concepts. The use of conflicting terminology can be problematic for decision makers and communicators in planning and prevention or when handling an incident. Since the CBRN area has roots in multiple disciplines, each with its own evolving terminology, it may not be realistic to achieve unequivocal communication through a standardized vocabulary and joint definitions for words from common language. We suggest that a communication strategy should include awareness of alternative definitions and ontologies and the ability to talk and write without relying on the implicit knowledge underlying specialized jargon. Consequently, cross-disciplinary communication skills should be part of training of personnel in the CBRN field. In addition, a searchable repository of terms and definitions from relevant organizations and authorities would be a valuable addition to existing glossaries for improving awareness concerning bioterrorism prevention planning.
Social media and its dual use in biopreparedness: communication and visualization tools in an animal bioterrorism incident.
Sjöberg E, Barker GC, Landgren J … +7 more , Griberg I, Skiby JE, Tubbin A, von Stapelmohr A, Härenstam M, Jansson M, Knutsson R
Biosecur Bioterror · 2013 Sep · PMID 23971817 · Publisher ↗
This article focuses on social media and interactive challenges for emergency organizations during a bioterrorism or agroterrorism incident, and it outlines the dual-use dilemma of social media. Attackers or terrorists c...
This article focuses on social media and interactive challenges for emergency organizations during a bioterrorism or agroterrorism incident, and it outlines the dual-use dilemma of social media. Attackers or terrorists can use social media as their modus operandi, and defenders, including emergency organizations in law enforcement and public and animal health, can use it for peaceful purposes. To get a better understanding of the uses of social media in these situations, a workshop was arranged in Stockholm, Sweden, to raise awareness about social media and animal bioterrorism threats. Fifty-six experts and crisis communicators from international and national organizations participated. As a result of the workshop, it was concluded that emergency organizations can collect valuable information and monitor social media before, during, and after an outbreak. In order to make use of interactive communication to obtain collective intelligence from the public, emergency organizations must adapt to social networking technologies, requiring multidisciplinary knowledge in the fields of information, communication, IT, and biopreparedness. Social network messaging during a disease outbreak can be visualized in stream graphs and networks showing clusters of Twitter and Facebook users. The visualization of social media can be an important preparedness tool in the response to bioterrorism and agroterrorism.
Knowledge communication: a key to successful crisis management.
Johansson A, Härenstam M
Biosecur Bioterror · 2013 Sep · PMID 23971816 · Publisher ↗
A winning concept of crisis management can be summarized in 2 words: knowledge communication. If decision makers, communicators, experts, and the public understand what the crisis is about and share their knowledge, the...
A winning concept of crisis management can be summarized in 2 words: knowledge communication. If decision makers, communicators, experts, and the public understand what the crisis is about and share their knowledge, the process of handling it will be optimized. Effective crisis communication implies the necessity of an unhindered but purposeful exchange of information within and between authorities, organizations, media, involved individuals, and groups before, during, and after a crisis. This article focuses on the importance of the before, or prevention, part of a crisis since it holds a rich possibility to enhance the chances for successful crisis management of a bioterrorism incident. An extended perspective on crisis communication efficiently links to a more thorough understanding of risk perception with various stakeholders and the public, which also will be helpful for situational awareness. Furthermore, the grounded baseline for the dialogue type of crisis communication suitable in modern society and to modern social media is achieved by linking to those risk communication efforts that are made. The link between risk and crisis should be afforded more attention since, especially in biosecurity, there would be no crisis without risk negligence and poor or malfunctioning preventive efforts.
From interblocking stovepipes to interlocking networks.
Sundelius B
Biosecur Bioterror · 2013 Sep · PMID 23971815 · Publisher ↗
Abstract loading — click title to view on PubMed.
Agroterrorism targeting livestock: a review with a focus on early detection systems.
Elbers A, Knutsson R
Biosecur Bioterror · 2013 Sep · PMID 23971814 · Publisher ↗
Agroterrorism targeting livestock can be described as the intentional introduction of an animal disease agent against livestock with the purpose of causing economic damage, disrupting socioeconomic stability of a country...
Agroterrorism targeting livestock can be described as the intentional introduction of an animal disease agent against livestock with the purpose of causing economic damage, disrupting socioeconomic stability of a country, and creating panic and distress. This type of terrorism can be alluring to terrorists because animal disease agents are easily available. This review addresses the vulnerabilities of the livestock industry to agroterrorism. However, we also show that early detection systems have recently been developed for agroterrorism and deliberate spread of animal pathogens in livestock, including an agroterrorism intelligence cycle, syndromic surveillance programs, and computer-based clinical decision support systems that can be used for early detection of notifiable animal diseases. The development of DIVA-vaccines in the past 10 to 15 years has created, in principle, an excellent response instrument to counter intentional animal disease outbreaks. These developments have made our animal agriculture less vulnerable to agroterrorism. But we cannot relax; there are still many challenges, in particular with respect to integration of first line of defense, law enforcement, and early detection systems for animal diseases.
Rodents as potential couriers for bioterrorism agents.
Lõhmus M, Janse I, van de Goot F … +1 more , van Rotterdam BJ
Biosecur Bioterror · 2013 Sep · PMID 23971813 · Publisher ↗
Many pathogens that can cause major public health, economic, and social damage are relatively easily accessible and could be used as biological weapons. Wildlife is a natural reservoir for many potential bioterrorism age...
Many pathogens that can cause major public health, economic, and social damage are relatively easily accessible and could be used as biological weapons. Wildlife is a natural reservoir for many potential bioterrorism agents, and, as history has shown, eliminating a pathogen that has dispersed among wild fauna can be extremely challenging. Since a number of wild rodent species live close to humans, rodents constitute a vector for pathogens to circulate among wildlife, domestic animals, and humans. This article reviews the possible consequences of a deliberate spread of rodentborne pathogens. It is relatively easy to infect wild rodents with certain pathogens or to release infected rodents, and the action would be difficult to trace. Rodents can also function as reservoirs for diseases that have been spread during a bioterrorism attack and cause recurring disease outbreaks. As rats and mice are common in both urban and rural settlements, deliberately released rodentborne infections have the capacity to spread very rapidly. The majority of pathogens that are listed as potential agents of bioterrorism by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases exploit rodents as vectors or reservoirs. In addition to zoonotic diseases, deliberately released rodentborne epizootics can have serious economic consequences for society, for example, in the area of international trade restrictions. The ability to rapidly detect introduced diseases and effectively communicate with the public in crisis situations enables a quick response and is essential for successful and cost-effective disease control.
Review of a new molecular virus pathotyping method in the context of bioterrorism.
Leijon M, Belák S
Biosecur Bioterror · 2013 Sep · PMID 23971812 · Publisher ↗
Avian influenza virus (AIV) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV) infect various avian species including domestic poultry. Clinical manifestations vary from subclinical or mild to severe multiorgan systemic disease with a ne...
Avian influenza virus (AIV) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV) infect various avian species including domestic poultry. Clinical manifestations vary from subclinical or mild to severe multiorgan systemic disease with a near 100% mortality rate. Severe disease is caused by highly virulent specific virus strains, termed highly pathogenic AIV and velogenic NDV. Recent controversial influenza H5 adaptation studies in ferrets have highlighted the importance of preparedness against AIV as a bioterrorism agent. Furthermore, NDV also has zoonotic potential, although symptoms in humans are mild and self-limiting for naturally occurring viruses. Thus, both of these viruses pose a direct biothreat to domestic poultry but also indirectly to humans via zoonotic transmission. For diagnosis and rapid containment of disease, it is crucial to differentiate highly pathogenic AIVs and NDVs from frequently occurring low pathogenic variants. Recently, we developed a novel strategy for pathotyping of AIV and NDV that we review here. The method should be ideal for rapid testing and surveillance in food safety, for wild bird monitoring, and for combating acts of bioterrorism.
Development and optimization of a biopreparedness protocol for extracting and detecting avian influenza virus in broiler chicken meat.
Di Pasquale S, Falcone E, Knutsson R … +3 more , Vaccari G, De Medici D, Di Trani L
Biosecur Bioterror · 2013 Sep · PMID 23971811 · Publisher ↗
Detection of avian influenza virus (AIV) in poultry meat is hampered by the lack of an efficient analytical method able to extract and concentrate viral RNA prior to PCR. In this study we developed a method for extractin...
Detection of avian influenza virus (AIV) in poultry meat is hampered by the lack of an efficient analytical method able to extract and concentrate viral RNA prior to PCR. In this study we developed a method for extracting and detecting AIV from poultry meat by a previously standardized 1-step real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (RRT-PCR) assay. In addition, a new process control, represented by feline calicivirus (FCV), was included in the original protocol, to evaluate all analytical steps from sample preparation to the detection phase. The detection limit was below 1×10(-1) TCID50 of AIV per sample, and the quantification limit corresponded to 1×10(1) TCID50 of AIV per sample. Moreover, the addition of 1×10(2) TCID50/sample of FCV did not affect the quantification and detection limit of the reaction. These results show that the developed assay is suitable for detecting small amounts of AIV in poultry meat. In addition, the developed biopreparedness protocol can be applied to detect AIV in legal or illegal imported broiler chicken meat. The availability of a rapid and sensitive diagnostic method based on molecular identification of AIV in poultry meat provides an important tool in the prevention of AIV circulation.
The effect of preprocessing by sequence-independent, single-primer amplification (SISPA) on metagenomic detection of viruses.
Karlsson OE, Belák S, Granberg F
Biosecur Bioterror · 2013 Sep · PMID 23971810 · Publisher ↗
Compared to routine diagnostics, screening for pathogens in outbreak situations, with or without intentional release, poses demands on the detection technology to not only indicate the presence of already known causative...
Compared to routine diagnostics, screening for pathogens in outbreak situations, with or without intentional release, poses demands on the detection technology to not only indicate the presence of already known causative agents but also novel and unexpected pathogens. The metagenomic approach to detecting viral pathogens, using unbiased high-throughput sequencing (HTS), is a well-established methodology with a broad detection range and wide applicability on different sample matrices. To prepare a sample for HTS, the common presequencing steps include homogenization, enrichment, separation (eg, magnetic separation), and amplification. In this initial study, we explored the benefits and drawbacks of preprocessing by sequence-independent, single-primer amplification (SISPA) of nucleic acids by applying the methodology to artificial samples. More specifically, a synthetic metagenome was divided into 2 samples, 1 unamplified and 1 diluted, and amplified by SISPA. Subsequently, both samples were sequenced using the Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine (PGM), and the resulting datasets were analyzed by using bioinformatics, short read mapping, de novo assembly, BLAST-based taxonomic classification, and visualization. The results indicate that even though SISPA introduces a strong amplification bias, which makes it unsuitable for whole-genome sequencing, it is still useful for detecting and identifying viruses.
Mass spectrometric detection of protein-based toxins.
Tevell Åberg A, Björnstad K, Hedeland M
Biosecur Bioterror · 2013 Sep · PMID 23971809 · Publisher ↗
This review focuses on mass spectrometric detection of protein-based toxins, which are among the most toxic substances known. Special emphasis is given to the bacterial toxins botulinum neurotoxin from Clostridium botuli...
This review focuses on mass spectrometric detection of protein-based toxins, which are among the most toxic substances known. Special emphasis is given to the bacterial toxins botulinum neurotoxin from Clostridium botulinum and anthrax toxins from Bacillus anthracis as well as the plant toxin ricin produced by Ricinus communis. A common feature, apart from their extreme toxicity, is that they are composed of 2 polypeptide chains, one of which is responsible for cell uptake and another that has enzymatic function with the ability to destroy basic cellular functions. These toxins pose a threat, both regarding natural spread and from a terrorism perspective. In order for public health and emergency response officials to take appropriate action in case of an outbreak, whether natural or intentional, there is a need for fast and reliable detection methods. Traditionally, large molecules like proteins have been detected using immunological techniques. Although sensitive, these methods suffer from some drawbacks, such as the risk of false-positives due to cross-reactions and detection of inactive toxin. This article describes recently developed instrumental methods based on mass spectrometry for the reliable detection of botulinum neurotoxins, anthrax toxins, and ricin. Unequivocal identification of a protein toxin can be carried out by mass spectrometry-based amino acid sequencing. Furthermore, in combination with antibody affinity preconcentration and biochemical tests with mass spectrometric detection demonstrating the toxin's enzymatic activity, very powerful analytical methods have been described. In conclusion, the advent of sensitive, easily operated mass spectrometers provides new possibilities for the detection of protein-based toxins.
Multiplex real-time PCR for detecting and typing Clostridium botulinum group III organisms and their mosaic variants.
Anniballi F, Auricchio B, Woudstra C … +7 more , Fach P, Fiore A, Skarin H, Bano L, Segerman B, Knutsson R, De Medici D
Biosecur Bioterror · 2013 Sep · PMID 23971808 · Full text
Botulism is a neuroparalytic disease that can occur in all warm-blooded animals, birds, and fishes. The disease in animals is mainly caused by toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum strains belonging to group III, alth...
Botulism is a neuroparalytic disease that can occur in all warm-blooded animals, birds, and fishes. The disease in animals is mainly caused by toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum strains belonging to group III, although outbreaks due to toxins produced by group I and II organisms have been recognized. Group III strains are capable of producing botulinum toxins of type C, D, and C/D and D/C mosaic variants. Definitive diagnosis of animal botulism is made by combining clinical findings with laboratory investigations. Detection of toxins in clinical specimens and feed is the gold standard for laboratory diagnosis. Since toxins may be degraded by organisms contained in the gastrointestinal tract or may be present at levels below the detection limit, the recovery of C. botulinum from sick animal specimens is consistent for laboratory confirmation. In this article we report the development and in-house validation of a new multiplex real-time PCR for detecting and typing the neurotoxin genes found in C. botulinum group III organisms. Validation procedures have been carried out according to ISO 16140, using strains and samples recovered from cases of animal botulism in Italy and France.
Evaluation of DNA extraction methods suitable for PCR-based detection and genotyping of Clostridium botulinum.
Auricchio B, Anniballi F, Fiore A … +2 more , Skiby JE, De Medici D
Biosecur Bioterror · 2013 Sep · PMID 23971807 · Publisher ↗
Sufficient quality and quantity of extracted DNA is critical to detecting and performing genotyping of Clostridium botulinum by means of PCR-based methods. An ideal extraction method has to optimize DNA yield, minimize D...
Sufficient quality and quantity of extracted DNA is critical to detecting and performing genotyping of Clostridium botulinum by means of PCR-based methods. An ideal extraction method has to optimize DNA yield, minimize DNA degradation, allow multiple samples to be extracted, and be efficient in terms of cost, time, labor, and supplies. Eleven botulinum toxin-producing clostridia strains and 25 samples (10 food, 13 clinical, and 2 environmental samples) naturally contaminated with botulinum toxin-producing clostridia were used to compare 4 DNA extraction procedures: Chelex(®) 100 matrix, Phenol-Cloroform-Isoamyl alcohol, NucliSENS(®) magnetic extraction kit, and DNeasy(®) Blood & Tissue kit. Integrity, purity, and amount of amplifiable DNA were evaluated. The results show that the DNeasy(®) Blood & Tissue kit is the best extraction method evaluated because it provided the most pure, intact, and amplifiable DNA. However, Chelex(®) 100 matrix seems to be suitable for PCR-based methods intended for laboratory diagnosis of suspected outbreaks of botulism, because it is faster and cheaper compared to DNeasy(®) Blood & Tissue kit, and for samples in which the mean of Ct values obtained are statistically different (P>0.05) with respect to the best method, no lack of PCR amplification was shown. In addition, molecular methods for laboratory diagnosis currently are based on a microbial enrichment step prior to PCR, and so the differences in amplification seem to not influence the analytical results.
Management of animal botulism outbreaks: from clinical suspicion to practical countermeasures to prevent or minimize outbreaks.
Anniballi F, Fiore A, Löfström C … +13 more , Skarin H, Auricchio B, Woudstra C, Bano L, Segerman B, Koene M, Båverud V, Hansen T, Fach P, Tevell Aberg A, Hedeland M, Olsson Engvall E, De Medici D
Biosecur Bioterror · 2013 Sep · PMID 23971806 · Publisher ↗
Botulism is a severe neuroparalytic disease that affects humans, all warm-blooded animals, and some fishes. The disease is caused by exposure to toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum and other botulinum toxin-producin...
Botulism is a severe neuroparalytic disease that affects humans, all warm-blooded animals, and some fishes. The disease is caused by exposure to toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum and other botulinum toxin-producing clostridia. Botulism in animals represents a severe environmental and economic concern because of its high mortality rate. Moreover, meat or other products from affected animals entering the food chain may result in a public health problem. To this end, early diagnosis is crucial to define and apply appropriate veterinary public health measures. Clinical diagnosis is based on clinical findings eliminating other causes of neuromuscular disorders and on the absence of internal lesions observed during postmortem examination. Since clinical signs alone are often insufficient to make a definitive diagnosis, laboratory confirmation is required. Botulinum antitoxin administration and supportive therapies are used to treat sick animals. Once the diagnosis has been made, euthanasia is frequently advisable. Vaccine administration is subject to health authorities' permission, and it is restricted to a small number of animal species. Several measures can be adopted to prevent or minimize outbreaks. In this article we outline all phases of management of animal botulism outbreaks occurring in wet wild birds, poultry, cattle, horses, and fur farm animals.
The workshop on animal botulism in Europe.
Skarin H, Tevell Åberg A, Woudstra C … +8 more , Hansen T, Löfström C, Koene M, Bano L, Hedeland M, Anniballi F, De Medici D, Olsson Engvall E
Biosecur Bioterror · 2013 Sep · PMID 23971805 · Publisher ↗
A workshop on animal botulism was held in Uppsala, Sweden, in June 2012. Its purpose was to explore the current status of the disease in Europe by gathering the European experts in animal botulism and to raise awareness...
A workshop on animal botulism was held in Uppsala, Sweden, in June 2012. Its purpose was to explore the current status of the disease in Europe by gathering the European experts in animal botulism and to raise awareness of the disease among veterinarians and others involved in biopreparedness. Animal botulism is underreported and underdiagnosed, but an increasing number of reports, as well as the information gathered from this workshop, show that it is an emerging problem in Europe. The workshop was divided into 4 sessions: animal botulism in Europe, the bacteria behind the disease, detection and diagnostics, and European collaboration and surveillance. An electronic survey was conducted before the workshop to identify the 3 most needed discussion points, which were: prevention, preparedness and outbreak response; detection and diagnostics; and European collaboration and surveillance. The main conclusions drawn from these discussions were that there is an urgent need to replace the mouse bioassay for botulinum toxin detection with an in vitro test and that there is a need for a European network to function as a reference laboratory, which could also organize a European supply of botulinum antitoxin and vaccines. The foundation of such a network was discussed, and the proposals are presented here along with the outcome of discussions and a summary of the workshop itself.
Animal botulism outcomes in the AniBioThreat project.
Woudstra C, Tevell Åberg A, Skarin H … +8 more , Anniballi F, De Medici D, Bano L, Koene M, Löfström C, Hansen T, Hedeland M, Fach P
Biosecur Bioterror · 2013 Sep · PMID 23971804 · Publisher ↗
Botulism disease in both humans and animals is a worldwide concern. Botulinum neurotoxins produced by Clostridium botulinum and other Clostridium species are the most potent biological substances known and are responsibl...
Botulism disease in both humans and animals is a worldwide concern. Botulinum neurotoxins produced by Clostridium botulinum and other Clostridium species are the most potent biological substances known and are responsible for flaccid paralysis leading to a high mortality rate. Clostridium botulinum and botulinum neurotoxins are considered potential weapons for bioterrorism and have been included in the Australia Group List of Biological Agents. In 2010 the European Commission (DG Justice, Freedom and Security) funded a 3-year project named AniBioThreat to improve the EU's capacity to counter animal bioterrorism threats. A detection portfolio with screening methods for botulism agents and incidents was needed to improve tracking and tracing of accidental and deliberate contamination of the feed and food chain with botulinum neurotoxins and other Clostridia. The complexity of this threat required acquiring new genetic information to better understand the diversity of these Clostridia and develop detection methods targeting both highly specific genetic markers of these Clostridia and the neurotoxins they are able to produce. Several European institutes participating in the AniBioThreat project collaborated on this program to achieve these objectives. Their scientific developments are discussed here.
Historical perspective on agroterrorism: lessons learned from 1945 to 2012.
Keremidis H, Appel B, Menrath A … +4 more , Tomuzia K, Normark M, Roffey R, Knutsson R
Biosecur Bioterror · 2013 Sep · PMID 23971803 · Publisher ↗
This article presents a historical perspective on agroterrorism cases from 1945 until 2012. The threat groups and perpetrators associated with bio- and agroterrorism are clustered into several groups: apocalyptic sects,...
This article presents a historical perspective on agroterrorism cases from 1945 until 2012. The threat groups and perpetrators associated with bio- and agroterrorism are clustered into several groups: apocalyptic sects, lone wolves, political groups, and religious groups. We used open-source information, and 4 biological agroterrorism cases are described: (1) in 1952, Mau Mau poisoned cattle in Kenya by using a plant toxin from the African milk bush plant; (2) in 1985, the USDA claimed that Mexican contract workers were involved in deliberately spreading screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax) among livestock; (3) in 2000, Palestinian media reported that Israeli settlers released sewer water into Palestinian agricultural fields; and (4) in 2011, a person was sentenced to prison after threatening US and UK livestock with the deliberate spread of foot-and-mouth disease virus. All 4 cases can be assigned to political groups. These cases have not attracted much attention in literature nor in the public media, and the credibility of the sources of information varies. We concluded that agroterrorism has not been a problem during the period studied. Lessons learned from the few cases have generated awareness about the fact that nontypical biological weapons and non-high-risk agents, such as African milk bush, screwworm, and sewer water, have been used by attackers to influence local decision makers. This review will be useful in improving future preparedness planning and developing countermeasures.
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