Table 123-1.

Bioterrorism Agents, as Categorized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Category	Definition	Agents/diseases
Category A	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.	Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis) Botulism (Clostridium botulinum toxin) Plague (Yersinia pestis) Smallpox (variola major) Tularemia (Francisella tularensis) Viral hemorrhagic fevers (e.g., Ebola, Marburg, Lassa, Machupo)
Category B	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 the CDC’s diagnostic capacity and enhanced disease surveillance.	Brucellosis (Brucella species) Epsilon toxin of Clostridium perfringens Food safety threats (e.g., Salmonella species, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Shigella) Glanders (Burkholderia mallei) Melioidosis (Burkholderia pseudomallei) Psittacosis (Chlamydia psittaci) Q fever (Coxiella burnetii) Ricin toxin from Ricinus communis (castor beans) Staphylococcal enterotoxin B Typhus fever (Rickettsia prowazekii) Viral encephalitis (e.g., Venezuelan equine encephalitis, eastern equine encephalitis, western equine encephalitis) Water safety threats (e.g., Vibrio cholerae, Cryptosporidium parvum)
Category C	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.	Emerging infectious diseases, such as Nipah virus and hantavirus