Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology

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Counteracting Bioterrorism: A Challenge to India


Affiliations
1 Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology Sardar Patel Post Graduate Institute of Dental and Medical Sciences, Lucknow, U.P, India
     

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Bioterrorism is a potential public health threat to India. The impact of a biological attack to our nation could be devastating. Most biological warfare agents do not produce symptoms for many hours or several days, so Indians exposed to a contagious biological warfare agent could easily spread the agent to thousands before symptoms manifest. The dental profession could potentially play a significant role in the emergency response to a major bioterrorism attack. This article provides a brief overview of the threat from biological weapons, its consequences, clinical presentation of diseases and state of preparedness in India as a response to this potentially catastrophic danger.

Keywords

Bioterrorism, Biological Warfare Agents, Biological Weapons
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  • Counteracting Bioterrorism: A Challenge to India

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Authors

Madhvika Patidar
Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology Sardar Patel Post Graduate Institute of Dental and Medical Sciences, Lucknow, U.P, India
Anil Singh
Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology Sardar Patel Post Graduate Institute of Dental and Medical Sciences, Lucknow, U.P, India
Rohit Jaiswal
Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology Sardar Patel Post Graduate Institute of Dental and Medical Sciences, Lucknow, U.P, India
Sarita Chaudhary
Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology Sardar Patel Post Graduate Institute of Dental and Medical Sciences, Lucknow, U.P, India
Fahad M. Samadi
Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology Sardar Patel Post Graduate Institute of Dental and Medical Sciences, Lucknow, U.P, India
Varsha Tiwari
Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology Sardar Patel Post Graduate Institute of Dental and Medical Sciences, Lucknow, U.P, India

Abstract


Bioterrorism is a potential public health threat to India. The impact of a biological attack to our nation could be devastating. Most biological warfare agents do not produce symptoms for many hours or several days, so Indians exposed to a contagious biological warfare agent could easily spread the agent to thousands before symptoms manifest. The dental profession could potentially play a significant role in the emergency response to a major bioterrorism attack. This article provides a brief overview of the threat from biological weapons, its consequences, clinical presentation of diseases and state of preparedness in India as a response to this potentially catastrophic danger.

Keywords


Bioterrorism, Biological Warfare Agents, Biological Weapons

References