title: Unconventional biological threats and the molecular biological response to biological threats.
abstract: This article concludes this symposium on potential agents of warfare and terrorism with discussion of 3 topics. First, influenza A virus is discussed as a potential biological weapon. Although it does not receive much attention in this role, the potential for mass casualties and public panic certainly exist if an epidemic of a virulent influenza A virus were initiated. Second, agroterrorism, terrorism directed at livestock or poultry or crops, is briefly discussed. Finally, the potential role of techniques of modern molecular biology to create new agents for bioterrorism or enhance the terrorist potential of available agents, and the known roles of these techniques in defense against biological warfare or terrorism are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, USA. ronald-greenfield@ouhsc.edu
authors.forename: Ronald A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Greenfield
authors.forename: Brock D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Lutz
authors.forename: Mark M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Huycke
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Gilmore
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D000820:Animal Diseases / Q000635:transmission; D000818:Animals; D023482:Bioterrorism; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000635:transmission; D008967:Molecular Biology