185
For many of the other Category A–C agents, it should be noted that the route of
infection transmission cannot occur via the respiratory tract. Thus, the actual participation of the mucosa in the pathogenesis of the infection process is not usually
known. Therefore, the initial host interaction and the subsequent pathophysiology
will follow known established clinical outcomes. In addition, there could be a lack
of clinical data that defines the aerosol-related disease adequately. An example of
one such agent is Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), which is a member of the
superantigen family of toxin. Hence, SEB forms “bridges” between the Major
Histocompatibility Class II molecules on antigen-presenting cells and T cell receptors on specific subsets of CD4
+
and CD8
+
T cells. And as a result of this SEB binding, the T cells start to release massive amounts of proinflammatory cytokines and
undergo hyper-proliferation, which ultimately results in their depletion [19, 20].
For the alphaviruses, the infection and associated pathogenesis depend on the
route of exposure. It is assumed that exposure to aerosols induce disease directly via
the olfactory bulb, whereas experimental infection via ingestion causes a disseminated viremia prior to nervous system engagement and encephalitis.
11.5 Prevention to Favor Defense and Immunity Success
To control infections and favor human immune responses, it is essential to adhere to
the following defenses:
1. to reduce microorganism proliferation (through the use of bacteriostatic drugs)
or kill the germs (disinfection, use of bactericidal medications);
2. to control the vectors diffusing the infection (insects, arthropods, birds, rats, etc.);
3. to immunize the potential hosts (vaccinations) preventively: this requires public
health planning, technology, costs and time;
4. to administer preformed antibodies (serotherapy): this also requires technology,
costs, and time.
11.5.1 Actions Against Germs
Concerning prevention defense #1, the use of chemotherapeutic antibiotics, which
have a multitude of modes of action mechanisms, is recommended. However, as
germs tend to develop resistance to them, it is evident that fewer effective antibiotics
are available today. It should be prevention defenses #2–4 require stringent and
effective world operations against biological vectors, which could be transported by
insecticides, biological competitors – fungi, bats, genetics can also be beneficial
[21, 22]. But the best possible actions to combat biothreats are the use of vaccines
(if available and if time allows) and of immune sera (if available).
11 Defense Against Biological Terrorism: Vaccines and Their Characterizations
For many of the other Category A–C agents, it should be noted that the route of
infection transmission cannot occur via the respiratory tract. Thus, the actual participation of the mucosa in the pathogenesis of the infection process is not usually
known. Therefore, the initial host interaction and the subsequent pathophysiology
will follow known established clinical outcomes. In addition, there could be a lack
of clinical data that defines the aerosol-related disease adequately. An example of
one such agent is Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), which is a member of the
superantigen family of toxin. Hence, SEB forms “bridges” between the Major
Histocompatibility Class II molecules on antigen-presenting cells and T cell receptors on specific subsets of CD4
+
and CD8
+
T cells. And as a result of this SEB binding, the T cells start to release massive amounts of proinflammatory cytokines and
undergo hyper-proliferation, which ultimately results in their depletion [19, 20].
For the alphaviruses, the infection and associated pathogenesis depend on the
route of exposure. It is assumed that exposure to aerosols induce disease directly via
the olfactory bulb, whereas experimental infection via ingestion causes a disseminated viremia prior to nervous system engagement and encephalitis.
11.5 Prevention to Favor Defense and Immunity Success
To control infections and favor human immune responses, it is essential to adhere to
the following defenses:
1. to reduce microorganism proliferation (through the use of bacteriostatic drugs)
or kill the germs (disinfection, use of bactericidal medications);
2. to control the vectors diffusing the infection (insects, arthropods, birds, rats, etc.);
3. to immunize the potential hosts (vaccinations) preventively: this requires public
health planning, technology, costs and time;
4. to administer preformed antibodies (serotherapy): this also requires technology,
costs, and time.
11.5.1 Actions Against Germs
Concerning prevention defense #1, the use of chemotherapeutic antibiotics, which
have a multitude of modes of action mechanisms, is recommended. However, as
germs tend to develop resistance to them, it is evident that fewer effective antibiotics
are available today. It should be prevention defenses #2–4 require stringent and
effective world operations against biological vectors, which could be transported by
insecticides, biological competitors – fungi, bats, genetics can also be beneficial
[21, 22]. But the best possible actions to combat biothreats are the use of vaccines
(if available and if time allows) and of immune sera (if available).
11 Defense Against Biological Terrorism: Vaccines and Their Characterizations