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. 2012 Mar 21:747–758. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-323-04579-7.00071-X

Table 71.2.

Epidemiologic characteristics for selected category A and B bioterrorism-associated diseases

Disease Incubation period range (days) Person-to-person transmission Infection control precautions for patients Case fatality rate
Inhalational anthrax (see Chapter 128) 2–43* No Standard

  • Untreated 100%

  • Treated 45%
Cutaneous anthrax (see Chapter 128) 1–12 No Standard

  • Untreated 20%

  • Treated <1%
Botulism (see Chapter 21) 12–72 hours No Standard 6%
Primary pneumonic plague (see Chapter 120) 1–6 Yes Droplet

  • Untreated 100%

  • Treated ~50%
Bubonic plague (see Chapter 120) 2–8 No Standard

  • Untreated 60%

  • Treated <5%
Smallpox 7–19 Yes Contact and airborne

  • Unvaccinated 30%

  • Vaccinated 3%
Tularemia pneumonia (see Chapter 121) 1–21 No Standard

  • Untreated 60%

  • Treated <4%
Viral hemorrhagic fevers (see Chapter 126) 2–21 Yes Contact and airborne

  • Marburg 25%

  • Ebola 80%

  • Other forms 2–30%
Viral encephalitides (see Chapter 19) 1–14 No Standard 10–35%
Q fever (see Chapter 176) 2–41 No Standard 3%
Brucellosis (see Chapter 123) 5–60 No Standard Untreated 5%
Glanders 1–21 Yes Contact and droplet

  • Untreated – approaches 100%

  • Treated – low
*

Based on limited data from human outbreaks; experimental animal data support clinical latency periods of up to 100 days.

Adapted from Patrozou & Artenstein.26