Biomaterial Database

Aerobiology and inhalation exposure to biological select agents and toxins. 2010

C J Roy, and D S Reed, and J A Hutt

Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, 2425 Ridgecrest Drive SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108, USA.

Aerosol is the most likely route of dissemination of biological select agents and toxins in a bioterrorist attack, regardless of the natural route of exposure to the agent. The use of animal models for testing preventative and therapeutic countermeasures requires knowledge of the pathogenesis of disease after inhalation exposure. Factors that relate to outcome after respiratory exposure include the inherent infectivity and virulence and/or toxicity of the agent in the host under investigation, in addition to characteristics of the aerosol particle and host that affect the delivered dose of, and host response to, the inhaled material. This introductory article discusses the emerging science of aerobiology and the unique features of respiratory tract anatomy, physiology, and immunology that are relevant to the pathogenesis of aerosolized biothreat agents.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D012140	Respiratory Tract Diseases	Diseases involving the RESPIRATORY SYSTEM.	Respiratory Diseases,Respiratory System Diseases,Disease, Respiratory System,Disease, Respiratory Tract,Respiratory System Disease,Respiratory Tract Disease
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D014118	Toxins, Biological	Specific, characterizable, poisonous chemicals, often PROTEINS, with specific biological properties, including immunogenicity, produced by microbes, higher plants (PLANTS, TOXIC), or ANIMALS.	Biological Toxins
D054045	Biological Warfare Agents	Living organisms or their toxic products that are used to cause disease or death of humans during WARFARE.	Biological Select Agents,Biological Weapons,Bioterrorism Agents,Biowarfare Agents,Agent, Biological Select,Agent, Biological Warfare,Agent, Bioterrorism,Agent, Biowarfare,Agents, Biological Select,Agents, Biological Warfare,Agents, Bioterrorism,Agents, Biowarfare,Biological Select Agent,Biological Warfare Agent,Biological Weapon,Bioterrorism Agent,Biowarfare Agent,Select Agent, Biological,Select Agents, Biological,Warfare Agent, Biological,Warfare Agents, Biological,Weapon, Biological,Weapons, Biological
D019570	Inhalation Exposure	The exposure to potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological agents by inhaling them.	Exposure, Inhalation,Exposures, Inhalation,Inhalation Exposures
D023421	Models, Animal	Non-human animals, selected because of specific characteristics, for use in experimental research, teaching, or testing.	Experimental Animal Models,Laboratory Animal Models,Animal Model,Animal Model, Experimental,Animal Model, Laboratory,Animal Models,Animal Models, Experimental,Animal Models, Laboratory,Experimental Animal Model,Laboratory Animal Model,Model, Animal,Model, Experimental Animal,Model, Laboratory Animal,Models, Experimental Animal,Models, Laboratory Animal