Bacillus anthracis: balancing innocent research with dual-use potential.
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.
Hudson
Michael J
MJ
Health Protection Agency, Porton Down, Salisbury, UK.
Beyer
Wolfgang
W
Böhm
Reinhard
R
Fasanella
Antonio
A
Garofolo
Giuliano
G
Golinski
Robert
R
Goossens
Pierre L
PL
Hahn
Ulrike
U
Hallis
Bassam
B
King
Annemarie
A
Mock
Michèle
M
Montecucco
Cesare
C
Ozin
Amanda
A
Tonello
Fiorella
F
Kaufmann
Stefan H E
SH
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
D022122:Anthrax Vaccines; D037521:Virulence Factors