A biological agent is a bacterium, virus, prion, fungus, or biological toxin that can be used in bioterrorism or biological warfare. More than 1200 different kinds of biological agents have been described and studied to date. Applying a slightly broader definition, some eukaryotes (for example parasites) and their associated toxins can be considered as biological agents.
Biological agents have the ability to adversely affect human health in a variety of ways, ranging from relatively mild allergic reactions to serious medical conditions, even death. These organisms are ubiquitous in the natural environment; they are found in water, soil, plants, and animals. Because many biological agents reproduce rapidly and require minimal resources for preservation, they are a potential danger in a wide variety of occupational settings.
Contents |
| Disease | Causative Agent (Military Symbol) | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Anthrax | Bacillus anthracis (N) or (TR) | |
| Brucellosis (bovine) | Brucella abortus (AB) | |
| Brucellosis (caprine) | Brucella melitensis (AM) or (BX) | |
| Brucellosis (porcine) | Brucella suis (US) or (NX) | |
| Cholera | Vibrio cholerae (HO) | |
| Diphtheria | Corynebacterium diphtheriae (DK) | |
| Dysentery (bacterial) | Shigella dysenteriae, some species of Escherichia coli (Y) | |
| Glanders | Burkholderia mallei (LA) | |
| Listeriosis | Listeria monocytogenes (TQ) | |
| Melioidosis | Burkholderia pseudomallei (HI) | |
| Plague | Yersinia pestis (LE) | |
| Tularemia | Francisella tularensis (SR) or (JT) |
| Disease | Causative Agent (Military Symbol) | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Psittacosis | Chlamydophila psittaci (SI) |
| Disease | Causative Agent (Military Symbol) | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Q fever | Coxiella burnetii (OU) | |
| Rocky Mountain spotted fever | Rickettsia rickettsii (RI) or (UY) | |
| Typhus (human) | Rickettsia prowazekii (YE) | |
| Typhus (murine) | Rickettsia typhi (AV) |
| Disease | Causative Agent (Military Symbol) | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Coccidiomycosis | Coccidioides immitis (OC) |
| Toxin | Source of Toxin (Military Symbol) | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Botulinum toxins (A through G) | (X) or (XR) | |
| Ricin | castor bean (Ricinus communis) (W) or (WA) | |
| Saxitoxin | various marine dinoflagellates (TZ) or (SS) | |
| Staphyloccocal enterotoxin B | Staphylococcus aureus (UC) or (PG) | |
| Tetrodotoxin | various marine bacteria, including Vibrio alginolyticus, Pseudoalteromonas tetraodonis (PP) | |
| Trichothecene mycotoxins | various species of fungi, including Fusarium, Trichoderma, and Stachybotrys |
| Vector (Military Symbol) | Disease | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Mosquito (Aedes aegypti) (AP) | Malaria, Dengue fever, Yellow fever, other Arboviruses | |
| Oriental rat flea (Xenopsylla cheopis) | Plague, Murine typhus |
   | U.S. Department of Labor - Biological Agents - Safety and Health Topics: Biological Agents |
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