Bioterrorism is the intentional release of a biologic agent through air, water, or food to cause illness or death to people, animals, and vegetation. The CDC has placed bioterrorism agents into three categories. Category A includes anthrax, botulism, plague, smallpox, tularemia, and the viral hemorrhagic fevers. Category B includes, among other things, C. perfringens epsilon toxin, Q fever, ricin toxin, Staphylococcus enterotoxin B, and food and water safety threats. Category C includes emerging infections such as hantaviruses and Nipah virus.
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