title: Bacillus anthracis: balancing innocent research with dual-use potential.
abstract: Anthrax Euronet, a Coordination Action of the EU 6th Framework Programme, was designed to strengthen networking activities between anthrax research groups in Europe and to harmonise protocols for testing anthrax vaccines and therapeutics. Inevitably, the project also addressed aspects of the current political issues of biosecurity and dual-use research, i.e. research into agents of important diseases of man, livestock or agriculture that could be used as agents of bioterrorism. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the biology of Bacillus anthracis, of the pathogenesis, epidemiology and diagnosis of anthrax, as well as vaccine and therapeutic intervention strategies. The proposed requirement for a code of conduct for working with dual-use agents such as the anthrax bacillus is also discussed.
authors: Health Protection Agency, Porton Down, Salisbury, UK.
authors: Michael J
authors: MJ
authors: Hudson
authors: Wolfgang
authors: W
authors: Beyer
authors: Reinhard
authors: R
authors: Böhm
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Fasanella
authors: Giuliano
authors: G
authors: Garofolo
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Golinski
authors: Pierre L
authors: PL
authors: Goossens
authors: Ulrike
authors: U
authors: Hahn
authors: Bassam
authors: B
authors: Hallis
authors: Annemarie
authors: A
authors: King
authors: Michèle
authors: M
authors: Mock
authors: Cesare
authors: C
authors: Montecucco
authors: Amanda
authors: A
authors: Ozin
authors: Fiorella
authors: F
authors: Tonello
authors: Stefan H E
authors: SH
authors: Kaufmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000881:Anthrax / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D022122:Anthrax Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D022122:Anthrax Vaccines; D037521:Virulence Factors