combating bioterrorism and potential misuse of biotecnology as biological weapons shahid ali ph.d...
TRANSCRIPT
COMBATING BIOTERRORISM AND POTENTIAL MISUSE OF
BIOTECNOLOGY AS BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS
SHAHID ALI
Ph.D Scholar (Botany)
08-arid-954
Contents
• What are biological weapons?
• Micoorganisms as weapon History
• Types of Biological Weapon Agents
• Case studies of their use
• How can Biotechnology help?How can Biotechnology help?
• Questions to ponder
• Conclusion
• References
What is a Biological Weapon?• Uses a living organism or its toxic agent
• Delivery devices
• Both conventional and unconventional means of delivery
Molecular biology and genetic engineering have enabled scientists to increase the virulence, develop antibiotic resistant strains and create novel strains for which population lack immunity
INTRODUCTION
-Biological weapons infectious agents (bacteria, virus, fungi, protozoan etc.) used to intentionally inflict harm on humans.
-The definition is extended to include biologically derived toxins and poisons.
-Generally, the types of agents used as biological weapons cause systemic diseases, hemorrhagic fevers, pneumonias, or involve toxins and biological poisons.
Microorganisms as Weapons-History
-Europe, Middle ages – Black plague victims hurled over city walls to infect citizens.
-Russia, April 2, 1979 – Bioweapons plant accidentally releases anthrax killing 68 of 94 infected civilians.
-Release of sarin gas in a Tokyo subway in 1996.
-Anthrax attack on Capitol Hill in 2001.
Types of Biological Weapon Agents
• Anthrax • Botulinum Toxins • Brucellosis • Cholera • Clostridium Perfringens Toxins • Congo-Crimean Hemorrhagic Fever • Ebola Haemorrhagic Fever • Plague • Q Fever • Ricin • Smallpox • Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B • Trichothecene Mycotoxins
Types of Biowarfare Agents
•BacteriaoCause disease by reproducingoSingle cell organismoTyphus, anthrax
•VirusesoMultiply only inside host cellsoSub microscopic organismsoEbola, chikungunya
The “Top Four” Bioterrorist Agents
B.anthracis, the bacterium that causes anthrax.
Yersini pestis, the bacterium that causes plague.
Variola virus, the virus that causes smallpox.
Botulinum toxin, a protein toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium that causes botulism.
Category A Bacteria
Bacterial Agent Disease
Bacillus anthracis Anthrax
Francisella tularensis Tularemia
Yersinia pestis Plague
Category A VirusViral Agent DiseaseArenaviruses- Viral Heamorrhagic fever
Lassa, Junin, Machupo
Filoviruses- Viral Heamorrhagic fever
Ebola, Marburg
Variola Major Smallpox
The face of Biological Warfare
…Small pox
…Botulin
Bacillus anthracis, the cause of anthrax
Micrograph of Bacillus anthracis
Key production techniques
Types Low-tech pro.. High-tech Pro..Bacteria Batch fermentation, Genetically engineered
production in animals strains, Continuous
flow fermentation
Viruses Cultivation in eggs, Culture in mammalian
mouse brain or cells & grown on beads
tissue culture
Protein toxins Extraction from plant Coning of toxin genes
or animal source, in microbial host,
Batch fermentation Extraction of toxin
Non-protein Extraction from plant Cloning of a series of
toxins or animal source genes
Case Study
US Anthrax Attack
September 18 – October 9, 2001
Anthrax spores found in this Princeton NJ mailbox
terrorists (?) mail letters containing
Anthrax spores to 5 US Newspapers
and 2 US Senators
• Several thousand people exposed and take antibiotics
• 22 people developed anthrax infections– 11 inhalation anthrax– 11 subcutaneous anthrax (less lethal)
• 5 died of inhalation anthrax– 2 postal workers– 3 from unknown sources, possibly cross-contamination
of mail
• total damage (incl. cleanup) exceeded $1 billion
The Justice Department has named no suspects in the case
How do you combat How do you combat Bioterrorism?Bioterrorism?
How can How can Biotechnology Biotechnology
help?help?
….Biodefense TechniquesField tests
– Antibody based
PCR– Comparison with
DNA sequences
Biosensors– For monitoring air
and water conditions
Current Biosensor Technologies• Microfluidics
o Tiny chips that have fluid channels and sensing chambers
o Uses nucleic acid-base to detect pathogens
• E-nosesCan identify single molecule in
samples
o Fast, Expensive
http://www.indiatalkies.com
http://futuremed2011.com/headlines-from-the-future/
Existing Systems – E-Noses:
• Inspired from nature• uses a combination of
new technologies to detect pathogens
• reduces time from days to fifteen minute intervals
• currently being developed to detect spoiled meat & encounter bioterrorism
NASA's E-Nose courtesy JPL
courtesy of 4to40.com
Aptamer-Encoded Nanopore for Detection of Bioterrorist Agent
Aptamer-encoded nanopore for ultrasensitive detection of bioterrorist agent ricin at single-molecule resolution
The nanopore, can be formed from protein ion channels by genetic engineering or fabricated on solid substrates using nanotechnology
Nanopore sensors have been created for detections
metal ions, drug compounds and cellular second messengers, to proteins and DNAs.
Vaccination as Countermeasure• If an attack occurs, treatment
in the form of antibodies will be needed.
– Stockpile of drugs and vaccines necessary for emergency cases
– Must be administered before exposure
REFERENCEShttp://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol5no4/
inglesby.htmhttp://www.newruskincollege.com/maxweber/
id16.htmlhttp://69.36.186.201/article.php?
art_ofn=nd04wrighthttp://webnetarts.com/socialjustice/biowar.htmlhttp://www.ph.ucla.edu/epi/bioter/
bioterrorexpertwar.html