MITAP for Biosecurity

These diseases can affect people (West Nile virus, HIV, Ebola, Bovine Spongiform Encephalitis), animals (foot-and-mouth disease), and plants (citrus canker in Florida). More recently, the potential of biological terrorism has become a very real threat. On 11 September 2001, the Center for Disease Control alerted states and local public health agencies to monitor for any unusual disease patterns, including the effects of chemical and biological agents (figure 1). In addition to possible disruption and loss of life, bioterrorism could foment political instability, given the panic that fast-moving plagues have historically engendered. Appropriate response to disease outbreaks and emerging threats depends on obtaining reliable and up-to-date information, which often means monitoring many news sources, particularly local news sources, in many languages worldwide.