title: Viral bioterrorism: Learning the lesson of Ebola virus in West Africa 2013-2015.
abstract: Among the potential biological agents suitable as a weapon, Ebola virus represents a major concern. Classified by the CDC as a category A biological agent, Ebola virus causes severe hemorrhagic fever, characterized by high case-fatality rate; to date, no vaccine or approved therapy is available. The EVD epidemic, which broke out in West Africa since the late 2013, has got the issue of the possible use of Ebola virus as biological warfare agent (BWA) to come to the fore once again. In fact, due to its high case-fatality rate, population currently associates this pathogen to a real and tangible threat. Therefore, its use as biological agent by terrorist groups with offensive purpose could have serious repercussions from a psychosocial point of view as well as on closely sanitary level. In this paper, after an initial study of the main characteristics of Ebola virus, its potential as a BWA was evaluated. Furthermore, given the spread of the epidemic in West Africa in 2014 and 2015, the potential dissemination of the virus from an urban setting was evaluated. Finally, it was considered the actual possibility to use this agent as BWA in different scenarios, and the potential effects on one or more nation's stability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; Didactical Board of the International Master Courses in Protection Against CBRNe events, Department of Industrial Engineering and School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: orlando.cenciarelli@uniroma2.it.
authors.forename: Orlando
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Cenciarelli
authors.affiliation: International Master Courses in Protection Against CBRNe events, Department of Industrial Engineering and School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gabbarini
authors.affiliation: Department of Science, University of Roma 3, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pietropaoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; Didactical Board of the International Master Courses in Protection Against CBRNe events, Department of Industrial Engineering and School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malizia
authors.affiliation: International Master Courses in Protection Against CBRNe events, Department of Industrial Engineering and School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Annalaura
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tamburrini
authors.affiliation: International Master Courses in Protection Against CBRNe events, Department of Industrial Engineering and School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Gian Marco
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Ludovici
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; Didactical Board of the International Master Courses in Protection Against CBRNe events, Department of Industrial Engineering and School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariachiara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carestia
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; Didactical Board of the International Master Courses in Protection Against CBRNe events, Department of Industrial Engineering and School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Di Giovanni
authors.affiliation: Didactical Board of the International Master Courses in Protection Against CBRNe events, Department of Industrial Engineering and School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sassolini
authors.affiliation: Didactical Board of the International Master Courses in Protection Against CBRNe events, Department of Industrial Engineering and School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; Department of Biomedicine & Prevention, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Palombi
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; Didactical Board of the International Master Courses in Protection Against CBRNe events, Department of Industrial Engineering and School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bellecci
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; Didactical Board of the International Master Courses in Protection Against CBRNe events, Department of Industrial Engineering and School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gaudio
mesh_terms: D000354:Africa, Western / Q000453:epidemiology; D054045:Biological Warfare Agents; D023482:Bioterrorism; D029043:Ebolavirus / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D054045:Biological Warfare Agents
keywords: BWA; Bioterrorism; Ebola virus; Hemorrhagic fever; West Africa