MCB4203 - Module 14 Exam With
Complete Solution
Bioterrorism - Answer What is the deliberate release of viruses, bacteria, or other
germs that can sicken or kill people, livestock, or crops?
Dual-use agents - Answer What are biological agents (bacteria, virus, toxins) that are
used in non-malicious ways (therapeutic development, educational purposes) but could
also be used as bio-weapons?
Botulinum toxin
Staphylococcal enterotoxins
B. anthracis - Answer What are three examples of dual-use agents?
Poisoning of water wells; arrows dipped in poison, diseased blood - Answer How was
bioterrorism practiced in ancient times?
World War 1 - Answer After what event was the Geneva protocol established?
Geneva protocol - Answer What banned bioweapon use (not possession/research etc.)?
Biological and Toxins Weapons Convention (1975) - Answer What is the first
international disarmament treaty (~176) countries?
Yersinia pestis - Answer What requires flea as a vehicle for transmission; bacterium
sensitive to antibiotics; was used as a bioweapon during WW2?
Botulinum neurotoxin - Answer What has potential as a bioterror agent if it is introduced
into water or food supplies; difficulty in initial diagnosis; relative ease in acquisition?
Smallpox virus - Answer What has potential as a bioterror agent because it has a naïve
population; extremely contagious and lethal; has been used as a bioweapon in the past;
ability to vaccinate exposed persons key in control of disease spread (disease
prevented if vaccination occurs within 3-4 days post-exposure)?
Bacillus anthracis - Answer What has potential as a bioterror agent because the spores
are extremely stable outside the host; can be produced in large quantities; spores
require refinement?
Bacillus anthracis - Answer What is a gram-postivie, non-motile, aerobic, facultative
anaerobic, large rod-shaped bacterium capable of forming dormant spores?
Soil, herbivore mammals, humans - Answer What are three locations where Bacillus
anthracis is found?
Cutaneous
, Inhalation
Gastrointestinal
Injectional - Answer What are the four types of disease Bacillus anthracis can cause?
Temperature and oxygen/CO2 - Answer What regulate Bacillus anthacis's sporulation
and germination?
Cutaneous - Answer What disease causes small blisters or bumps (may itch) -> painless
skin sore (ulcer) with a black center (often on face, neck, arms, or hands) -> swelling ->
dissemination and death if left untreated?
Inhalation - Answer What disease symptoms have spores less than 5 micrometers in size
are inhaled and reach the lower respiratory tract; fever and chills, chest discomfort,
shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, or stomach pains, sweats, extreme tiredness,
can lead to shock which can be highly fatal?
Gastrointestinal - Answer What disease's symptoms include fever, chills, swelling of
neck or neck glands, sore throat, painful swallowing, hoarseness, nausea, blood
vomiting, flushing and red eyes, stomach pain, swelling of abdomen?
Injectional - Answer What disease's symptoms are similar to cutaneous, but much more
rapid disease progression?
Capsule - Answer What is a poly-y-D-glutamic acid polypeptide that protects against
phagocytosis?
Edema factor - Answer What is an adenylate cyclase that has high levels of intracellular
cAMP which leads to a disturbance of H2O homeostasis and disruption of intracellular
signaling pathways?
Lethal factor - Answer What is zinc metalloprotease that selectively inactivate
mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases which leads to a deregulation of numerous cell
processes and abnormal ion transport, loss of electrolytes and water, blockage of
cellular signal transduction pathways, improper functioning of immune response?
Bioweapon - Answer Anthrax has been used as a ________.
2001 outbreak in USA - Answer What event had spore-containing envelopes mailed to
news and government offices; general consensus is that it was "non-weaponized"; 11
inhalational and 11 cutaneous cases reported; two suspects investigated, no one ever
formally charged/prosecuted?
All forms of disease treatable with antibiotics
Vaccine available, but recommended only for certain at-risk adult groups
Anti-toxin strategies still under investigation - Answer What are some treatment and
prevention methods for anthrax attacks?
Complete Solution
Bioterrorism - Answer What is the deliberate release of viruses, bacteria, or other
germs that can sicken or kill people, livestock, or crops?
Dual-use agents - Answer What are biological agents (bacteria, virus, toxins) that are
used in non-malicious ways (therapeutic development, educational purposes) but could
also be used as bio-weapons?
Botulinum toxin
Staphylococcal enterotoxins
B. anthracis - Answer What are three examples of dual-use agents?
Poisoning of water wells; arrows dipped in poison, diseased blood - Answer How was
bioterrorism practiced in ancient times?
World War 1 - Answer After what event was the Geneva protocol established?
Geneva protocol - Answer What banned bioweapon use (not possession/research etc.)?
Biological and Toxins Weapons Convention (1975) - Answer What is the first
international disarmament treaty (~176) countries?
Yersinia pestis - Answer What requires flea as a vehicle for transmission; bacterium
sensitive to antibiotics; was used as a bioweapon during WW2?
Botulinum neurotoxin - Answer What has potential as a bioterror agent if it is introduced
into water or food supplies; difficulty in initial diagnosis; relative ease in acquisition?
Smallpox virus - Answer What has potential as a bioterror agent because it has a naïve
population; extremely contagious and lethal; has been used as a bioweapon in the past;
ability to vaccinate exposed persons key in control of disease spread (disease
prevented if vaccination occurs within 3-4 days post-exposure)?
Bacillus anthracis - Answer What has potential as a bioterror agent because the spores
are extremely stable outside the host; can be produced in large quantities; spores
require refinement?
Bacillus anthracis - Answer What is a gram-postivie, non-motile, aerobic, facultative
anaerobic, large rod-shaped bacterium capable of forming dormant spores?
Soil, herbivore mammals, humans - Answer What are three locations where Bacillus
anthracis is found?
Cutaneous
, Inhalation
Gastrointestinal
Injectional - Answer What are the four types of disease Bacillus anthracis can cause?
Temperature and oxygen/CO2 - Answer What regulate Bacillus anthacis's sporulation
and germination?
Cutaneous - Answer What disease causes small blisters or bumps (may itch) -> painless
skin sore (ulcer) with a black center (often on face, neck, arms, or hands) -> swelling ->
dissemination and death if left untreated?
Inhalation - Answer What disease symptoms have spores less than 5 micrometers in size
are inhaled and reach the lower respiratory tract; fever and chills, chest discomfort,
shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, or stomach pains, sweats, extreme tiredness,
can lead to shock which can be highly fatal?
Gastrointestinal - Answer What disease's symptoms include fever, chills, swelling of
neck or neck glands, sore throat, painful swallowing, hoarseness, nausea, blood
vomiting, flushing and red eyes, stomach pain, swelling of abdomen?
Injectional - Answer What disease's symptoms are similar to cutaneous, but much more
rapid disease progression?
Capsule - Answer What is a poly-y-D-glutamic acid polypeptide that protects against
phagocytosis?
Edema factor - Answer What is an adenylate cyclase that has high levels of intracellular
cAMP which leads to a disturbance of H2O homeostasis and disruption of intracellular
signaling pathways?
Lethal factor - Answer What is zinc metalloprotease that selectively inactivate
mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases which leads to a deregulation of numerous cell
processes and abnormal ion transport, loss of electrolytes and water, blockage of
cellular signal transduction pathways, improper functioning of immune response?
Bioweapon - Answer Anthrax has been used as a ________.
2001 outbreak in USA - Answer What event had spore-containing envelopes mailed to
news and government offices; general consensus is that it was "non-weaponized"; 11
inhalational and 11 cutaneous cases reported; two suspects investigated, no one ever
formally charged/prosecuted?
All forms of disease treatable with antibiotics
Vaccine available, but recommended only for certain at-risk adult groups
Anti-toxin strategies still under investigation - Answer What are some treatment and
prevention methods for anthrax attacks?
