Table 1.
Critical biologic agents
| Category Aa | Category Bb | Category Cc |
|---|---|---|
| Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis) | Brucellosis (Brucella spcp) | Emerging infectious diseases such as Nipah virus and Hantavirus |
| Botulism (Clostridium botulinum toxin) | Epsilon toxin of Clostridium perfringens | |
| Plague (Yersinia pestis) | Food safety threats (eg, Salmonella spcp, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Shigella) | |
| Smallpox (variola major) | Glanders (Burkholderia mallei) | |
| Tularemia (Francisella tularensis) | Melioidosis (Burkholderia pseudomallei) | |
| Viral hemorrhagic fevers (filoviruses [eg, Ebola, Marburg] and arenaviruses [eg, Lassa, Machupo]) | Psittacosis (Chlamydia psittaci) | |
| Q fever (Coxiella burnetii) | ||
| Ricin toxin from Ricinus communis (castor beans) | ||
| Staphylococcal enterotoxin B | ||
| Typhus fever (Rickettsia prowazekii) | ||
| Viral encephalitis (alphaviruses [eg, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, Eastern equine encephalitis, Western equine encephalitis]) | ||
| Water safety threats (eg, Vibrio cholerae, Cryptosporidium parvum) |
Category A: The US public health system and primary healthcare providers must be prepared to address various biologic agents, including pathogens that are rarely seen in the United States. High-priority agents include organisms that pose a risk to national security because they can be easily disseminated or transmitted from person to person; result in high mortality rates and have the potential for major public health impact; might cause public panic and social disruption; and require special action for public health preparedness.
Category B Diseases/Agents: second highest priority agents include those that are moderately easy to disseminate; result in moderate morbidity rates and low mortality rates; and require specific enhancements of CDC's diagnostic capacity and enhanced disease surveillance.
Category C Diseases/Agents: third highest priority agents include emerging pathogens that could be engineered for mass dissemination in the future because of availability; ease of production and dissemination; and potential for high morbidity and mortality rates and major health impact.