Government agencies consider bioterror a real threat.
Emmeluth 20, Professor of Microbiology at Savannah Technical College, Professor of Bioethics, Biology & Education at Armstrong Atlantic State University, Ed.S. and Ed.D. from Florida Atlantic University. (Donald, 2020, Botulism: Third Edition, Facts On File, https://online.infobase.com/HRC/Search/Details/11?articleId=394253&q=bioterror)
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Because bioterrorism continues to be a real concern for the United States, NIAID and other agencies have accelerated microbial research and development of diagnostic, preventive, and treatment methods. Microbial genomics has become an important part of this overall approach. Genomics refers to being able to identify and utilize the totality of genetic information found in an organism. This complete collection of an organism's genetic information is known as its genome. Understanding an organism's genetic program may aid in understanding how an organism carries out its biochemical and physical processing and operates as a complex biological system.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), this genetic information is used to develop gene-based diagnostic and sampling tests to quickly detect dangerous germs and assess their susceptibility to different types of treatment. Genomes also provide molecular fingerprints of different strains of a given microbe, thereby enabling investigators to better track future outbreaks to their source.
In May 2004, the Sanger Institute completed the sequence of the genome of C.botulinum in collaboration with Dr. Roger Huston of the University of Reading, Dr. Nigel Minton of the University of Nottingham, and Dr. M. Peck of the Institute of Food Research.
NIAID Research Against Bacterial Products
NIAID is involved in both long- and short-term biodefense research studies to find ways to deal with infectious microbial diseases caused by microbial toxins. Toxins that have potential use as bioterror agents are particularly highlighted. A major part of the research is to develop FDA-approved vaccines, treatments, and diagnostic tests that could be used as part of a defensive package against these bioterror agents. The research goals of NIAID for botulism include developing an enhanced package of antitoxins for the treatment of botulism, a vaccine that will be effective against all seven types of botulinum toxins, and better methods of detecting and diagnosing the illness.