Detection of Bacteria, Viruses, Parasites and Fungi: Bioterrorism Prevention (NATO Science for Peace and Security Series A: Chemistry and Biology)

When somebody mentions terrorism attack the attention is immediately concentrated on military type attacks such as bombs, kamikazes or similar kinds and nobody thinks about the possible existence of more sophisticated means such as the use of toxic gas or agents which may be transmitted by contaminated food, water and air and may interest a large number of people. This book intends to put the attention on this problem and to demonstrate how easy it is in particular to contaminate food. Four different sectors were analysed: bacteria, virus, parasites and pollutants and for each the possible agents and the facilities for creating diseases in many people through contaminated food are described. Also some species of common bacteria like Escherichia coli or Enterococci, present in many foods, may produce toxins, causing diarrhoea in a large number of persons as happened in China in 1991 when 224,000 persons were affected by contaminated ice cream. On the other hand parasites can also be transmitted by uncooked fish and reptile meat. New diagnostic methods are also illustrated which in comparison to traditional methods permits quick analysis of many samples. This publication represents the result of the fruitful workshop organised with the aim to attract the attention on the possibility of bio terrorism attack, with the s- port of NATO funds. In the last years the attention was strongly concentrated on the terrorism view similar to “military type attacks:” bomb on the trains, kamikazes, airplanes etc. As consequence many devices studied are directed to prevent these attacks such as the control of the passengers before the flight. For the people terrorism is therefore equivalent to bomb or similar and nobody think that there is also other possible and sophisticated means that can be used by the terrorist. In 1995 Sarin gas in the Tokio subway killed 12 people and affected 5,000 persons. In the USA anthrax was sent by mail to many federal offices. These events and other cases attract the attention on these possible terrorist attacks and the first recommendations for preventing theses events were\elaborated in the United State and in Europe. The possible agents and the modality that can be used for the diffusion are analysed and food and water are considered the principal and more favourable way. The story and the principal decision about this were reported in the first article of this collection which introduces the concept of bio-terrorism.