title: Possible use of bacteriophages active against Bacillus anthracis and other B. cereus group members in the face of a bioterrorism threat.
abstract: Anthrax is an infectious fatal disease with epidemic potential. Nowadays, bioterrorism using Bacillus anthracis is a real possibility, and thus society needs an effective weapon to neutralize this threat. The pathogen may be easily transmitted to human populations. It is easy to store, transport, and disseminate and may survive for many decades. Recent data strongly support the effectiveness of bacteriophage in treating bacterial diseases. Moreover, it is clear that bacteriophages should be considered a potential incapacitative agent against bioterrorism using bacteria belonging to B. cereus group, especially B. anthracis. Therefore, we have reviewed the possibility of using bacteriophages active against Bacillus anthracis and other species of the B. cereus group in the face of a bioterrorism threat.
authors.affiliation: Bacteriophage Laboratory, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6963-1415
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jończyk-Matysiak
authors.affiliation: Bacteriophage Laboratory, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Marlena
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2430-5346
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kłak
authors.affiliation: Bacteriophage Laboratory, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland ; Phage Therapy Unit, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weber-Dąbrowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Transplantation Institute, The Medical University of Warsaw, Nowogrodzka 59, 02-006 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Borysowski
authors.affiliation: Bacteriophage Laboratory, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland ; Phage Therapy Unit, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland ; Department of Clinical Immunology, Transplantation Institute, The Medical University of Warsaw, Nowogrodzka 59, 02-006 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Górski
mesh_terms: D000881:Anthrax / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology*; D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000502:physiology / Q000821:virology*; D001409:Bacillus cereus / Q000502:physiology / Q000821:virology*; D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000502:physiology*; D023482:Bioterrorism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans