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Biosecurity Agent List

Some of the agents that cause a biosecurity concern are listed by the United States Government through the US Select Agent List.

1 Nov 2010

In 1966, Dr. Mario Jascalevich from New Jersey was accused of poisoning five patients with a plant-derived poison called tubocurarine. Between 1964 and 1966, a Japanese doctor called Mitsuru Suzuki contaminated sponge cakes and other sources of food with shigella dysenteriae (causes diarrhea) and salmonella typhi (causes typhoid), leading to 200 to 400 illnesses and four deaths. Between May 1977 and November 1980, a nursing home worker called Arnfinn Nesset killed 27 residents using a substance called curacit. In 1984, religious cult members held attacks in Dalles, Oregon using salmonella typhimurium in an attempt to affect the election and gain control of the Wasco County Court. The restaurant salad bars were used as the dissemination points and the attack led to 751 illnesses. A cult member was arrested on an unrelated charge and confessed later to being involved in the event. In the 1990s, Aum Shinrikyo tried to disseminate bacillus anthracis (anthrax - the vaccine strain), Clostridium botulinum and the Ebola virus in Tokyo, Japan to fulfil the apocalyptic prophecy. In 1995, Larry Wayne Harris ordered 3 vials of Yersinia pestis (causing plague) from the ATCC and in the same year laboratory technician Diane Thompson took Shigella dysenteriae Type 2 from a hospital and infected her co-workers. In 1995, a neurologist in Virginia called Dr. Ray W. Mettetal was found with ricin on his person after being arrested for something else. In 1998, a gastroenterologist in Louisiana called Richard Schmidt infected nurse Janice Allen with HIV by injecting her with blood from a patient who had AIDS. In 1999, a phlebotomist called Brian T. Stewart was sentenced to life imprisonment for deliberately infecting his baby with HIV-infected blood to avoid the cost of child support. In 2001, there were a series of anthrax attacks in the United States. In 2003, Professor Thomas Butler was arrested for removing 30 vials of Yersinia pestis from a laboratory.

1 Nov 2010

Biosecurity Challenges

The two major biological threats that are faced in biosecurity include: Naturally occurring infectious diseases such as avian flu Biological weapons that are in the hands of states and terrorist organizations.

1 Nov 2010

Animal Biosecurity

Animal biosecurity refers to the actions and measures taken to prevent disease being introduced through animals into a specific geographical area or region. This form of biosecurity combines various different methods of prevention and disease containment.

1 Nov 2010

What is Biosecurity?

Biosecurity refers to measures that are taken to stop the spread or introduction of harmful organisms to human, animal and plant life. The measures taken are a combination of processes and systems that have been put in place by bioscience laboratories, customs agents and agricultural managers to prevent the use of dangerous pathogens and toxins.

1 Nov 2010

What is Grey Matter?

The central nervous system is made up of two types of tissue: the grey matter and the white matter.

1 Nov 2010

Growth Hormone Side-Effects

Growth hormone can have several effects on the body when it is present in excess or deficient amounts.

1 Nov 2010

Growth Hormone Effects

Growth hormone is a vital hormone made up of around 190 amino acids, that regulates several important physiological processes such as growth and metabolism. It is secreted by cells found in the anterior pituitary called somatotrophs.

1 Nov 2010

What are Growth Hormones?

Growth hormone is a peptide hormone that stimulates growth, development and regeneration. This peptide hormone is made up of 191 amino acids that form a long, single-chain polypeptide. Growth hormone is synthesized in the somatotropic cells, which are found in the anterior pituitary gland. These cells are also responsible for storing and releasing the hormone.

1 Nov 2010

Personality Disorder Causes

The term "personality disorder" is relatively new in the field of mental health. The traits seen with these disorders used to be considered part of a person's natural personality and therefore untreatable. The exact causes of personality disorders are unclear but are likely to be a combination of factors that may vary between individuals.

31 Oct 2010

What is Personality Disorder?

A personality disorder is a condition related to an individual's personality. Until recently, an altered or unbalanced personality was not considered a mental health issue or considered treatable. However, personality disorders are now recognised as lying within the spectrum of mental health disorders and are amenable to treatment.

31 Oct 2010

Causes of Alopecia

There are several types and causes of alopecia or hair loss. Hair loss may occur as a natural part of aging, due to a disease, injury or due to drugs and medications. The causes of alopecia or hair loss include:-

17 Oct 2010

What is Alopecia?

Alopecia is the medical term for hair loss. There are several patterns of natural and disease related hair loss. Hair loss may also be caused by several drugs and medications.

17 Oct 2010

Adenosine Pharmacological Effects

Adenosine is a purine present normally in the body. This molecule however has several physiological and pharmacological roles to play in functioning of the normal body as well as in some diseased conditions.

17 Oct 2010

What is Adenosine?

Adenosine is a nucleoside that occurs naturally in all cells of the body. Chemically it is 6-amino-9-beta-D-ribofuranosyl-9-H-purine.

17 Oct 2010

REM Parasomnias

Parasomnias are a group of sleep disorders characterized by unusual movement, perception, emotion, behavior and dreams while a person is between the different phases of sleep or awaking from a sleep.

22 Sep 2010

NREM parasomnias

Parasomnias are a group of sleep disorders characterized by unusual movement, perception, emotion, behaviour and dreams while a person is between the different phases of sleep or awaking from a sleep.

22 Sep 2010

What are Parasomnias?

Parasomnias are a group of sleep disorders that cause unusual movement, perception, emotion or dreams while a person is between the different phases of sleep or awakening from a sleep.

22 Sep 2010

Selenium Toxicity

Selenium toxicity is diagnosed based upon the presence of features of selenosis in humans, as there are no accurate biochemical or preclinical parameters.

14 Sep 2010