CDC High-Priority Biological Agents and Toxins
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Category |
Agent |
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A: Highest priority |
Bacillus anthracis, causing anthrax Botulinum toxin from Clostridium botulinum, causing botulism Yersinia pestis, causing plague Francisella tularensis, causing tularemia Variola virus, causing variola major (classic smallpox)
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B: 2nd highest priority |
Brucella species, causing brucellosis Epsilon toxin of Clostridium perfringens, causing food poisoning Salmonella sp, causing food poisoning; Escherichia coli 0157:H7 infection; and Shigella, causing shigellosis Burkholderia mallei, causing glanders Burkholderia pseudomallei, causing melioidosis Chlamydia psittaci, causing psittacosis Coxiella burnetii, causing Q fever Ricin toxin from Ricinus communis, causing different symptoms depending on type of exposure Staphylococcal enterotoxin B, causing staphylococcal food poisoning and other symptoms depending on type of exposure Rickettsia prowazekii, causing typhus fever Alphaviruses causing viral encephalitides (for example, Venezuelan, eastern, and western equine encephalitides) Vibrio cholerae, causing cholera; Cryptosporidium parvum, causing cryptosporidiosis; and other agents, causing other waterborne diseases |
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C: 3rd highest priority |
Nipah virus, hantavirus, SARS coronavirus, and influenza viruses capable of causing pandemic influenza Other agents associated with emerging infectious diseases |
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CDC = U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; SARS = severe acute respiratory syndrome. *An alphabetical listing of bioterrorism agents and diseases can be found at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Emergency Preparedness and Response. |
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