Challenges Associated with Bacillus anthracis as a Bio-threat Agent

In nature, Anthrax is a zoonotic disease caused by the gram-positive spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis usually infecting grazing animals. Taking advantage of their stability and ability to survive harsh conditions for decades, this deadly bacterium was stockpiled during the twentieth century as a bio-weapon by the great nations. The 1972 convention that prohibited the development, production and stockpiling of bio-weapons reduced these nation-level productions but increased the probability that knowhow, and in some cases weapon grade spores, will become available for use by terror groups, thus creating a new threat—bio-terror. In modern history there were two documented bio-terror events as well as one accidental discharge from an army facility and other industrial exposures that resulted in human exposure to B. anthracis spores. These incidents demonstrate the power of B. anthracis spores as a bio-terror agent and the challenges that are associated with such release/use. In this chapter, we will use the published data regarding these events together with experimental data obtained from animal experiments, to discuss the challenges associated with the use of B. anthracis spores as a bio-terror agent and the ways to counteract them. We will go through the different challenges of patient diagnosis and treatment, discuss the challenges of monitoring the environment and decontamination. In addition we will describe the available forensic tools and discuss the challenges of identifying spore production prior to dissemination.