TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Responsible Research with Biological Select Agents and Toxins SN - DO - 10.17226/12774 PY - 2009 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12774/responsible-research-with-biological-select-agents-and-toxins PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Conflict and Security Issues KW - Biology and Life Sciences AB - The effort to understand and combat infectious diseases has, during the centuries, produced many key advances in science and medicine—including the development of vaccines, drugs, and other treatments. A subset of this research is conducted with agents that, like anthrax, not only pose a severe threat to the health of humans, plants, and animals but can also be used for ill-intended purposes. Such agents have been listed by the government as biological select agents and toxins. The 2001 anthrax letter attacks prompted the creation of new regulations aimed at increasing security for research with dangerous pathogens. The outcome of the anthrax letter investigation has raised concern about whether these measures are adequate. Responsible Research with Biological Select Agents and Toxins evaluates both the physical security of select agent laboratories and personnel reliability measures designed to ensure the trustworthiness of those with access to biological select agents and toxins. The book offers a set of guiding principles and recommended changes to minimize security risk and facilitate the productivity of research. The book recommends fostering a culture of trust and responsibility in the laboratory, engaging the community in oversight of the Select Agent Program, and enhancing the operation of the Select Agent Program. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Academy of Sciences A2 - Glenn E. Schweitzer TI - Countering Terrorism: Biological Agents, Transportation Networks, and Energy Systems: Summary of a U.S.-Russian Workshop SN - DO - 10.17226/12490 PY - 2009 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12490/countering-terrorism-biological-agents-transportation-networks-and-energy-systems-summary PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Conflict and Security Issues AB - This book presents the proceedings of the fourth U.S.-Russian interacademy workshop on the general theme of countering terrorism, which was held in Moscow in March 2007. The fourth in a series, this volume continues to explore topics related to urban terrorism, but with a new emphasis on potential attacks involving biological agents, transportation networks, and energy systems. The other books in the series include: High Impact Terrorism: Proceedings of a Russian-American Workshop (2002) Terrorism: Reducing Vulnerabilities and Improving Responses: U.S.-Russian Workshop Proceedings (2004) Countering Urban Terrorism in Russia and the United States: Proceedings of a Workshop (2006) ER - TY - BOOK AU - Institute of Medicine AU - National Research Council TI - Accelerating the Research, Development, and Acquisition of Medical Countermeasures Against Biological Warfare Agents: Interim Report DO - 10.17226/10665 PY - 2003 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10665/accelerating-the-research-development-and-acquisition-of-medical-countermeasures-against-biological-warfare-agents PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Conflict and Security Issues ER - TY - BOOK AU - Institute of Medicine AU - National Research Council A2 - Lois M. Joellenbeck A2 - Jane S. Durch A2 - Leslie Z. Benet TI - Giving Full Measure to Countermeasures: Addressing Problems in the DoD Program to Develop Medical Countermeasures Against Biological Warfare Agents SN - DO - 10.17226/10908 PY - 2004 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10908/giving-full-measure-to-countermeasures-addressing-problems-in-the-dod PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Conflict and Security Issues KW - Health and Medicine AB - In recent years, substantial efforts have been initiated to develop new drugs, vaccines, and other medical interventions against biological agents that could be used in bioterrorist attacks against civilian populations. According to a new congressionally mandated report from the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council of the National Academies, to successfully develop these drugs, vaccines, and other medical interventions against biowarfare agents, Congress should authorize the creation of a new agency within the Office of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Defense. The committee recommended that Congress should improve liability protections for those who develop and manufacture these products, to stimulate willingness to invest in new research and development for biowarfare protection. Giving Full Measure to Countermeasures also identifies other challenges—such as the need for appropriate animal models and laboratories equipped with high-level biosafety protections—that will require attention if DoD efforts to develop new medical countermeasures are to be successful. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Defending the U.S. Air Transportation System Against Chemical and Biological Threats SN - DO - 10.17226/11556 PY - 2006 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/11556/defending-the-us-air-transportation-system-against-chemical-and-biological-threats PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Health and Medicine KW - Conflict and Security Issues AB - Historically, most terrorist attacks on civilian targets have involved the use of firearms or explosives, and current defensive strategies are aimed at preventing attacks perpetrated by such means. However, the use of the nerve agent sarin in 1995 to attack the Tokyo subway system, the use of the U.S. mail in 2001 to distribute letters containing anthrax spores, and the discovery in 2004 of the biological toxin ricin in U.S. Senate Office Buildings in Washington, D.C., demonstrate that chemical and biological agents have been added to terrorists' arsenals. Attacks involving chemical/biological agents are of great concern, not only because of the potential for mass casualties but also because there is no strategy or technology fielded today that can respond adequately to this threat. As the United States and other countries reassess the security measures they have in place to prevent or defend against such attacks, the risks to the air transportation system as a primary target become clear. Defending the U.S. Air Transportation System Against Chemical and Biological Threats is an exploration of defensive strategies that could be used to protect air transportation spaces (specifically, airport terminals and aircraft) against attack with chemical or biological agents and makes recommendations with respect to the role of TSA in implementing these strategies. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Review of Testing and Evaluation Methodology for Biological Point Detectors: Abbreviated Summary SN - DO - 10.17226/11287 PY - 2005 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/11287/review-of-testing-and-evaluation-methodology-for-biological-point-detectors PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Conflict and Security Issues AB - This report examines the proposed testing methodology and facility that the Department of Defense (DOD) will use to test and evaluate the effectiveness of its detection system against biological warfare agents—an issue that impacts battlefield missions as well as homeland security missions. The report assesses a proposal to construct a whole system live agent testing facility at West Center Test Center, Dugway Proving Ground in Utah for testing the Joint Biological Point Detection System (JBPDS). Because of scientific and schedule-related risks, the report recommends an alternate approach that focuses test and evaluation efforts on leveraging existing data, improving simulated biological agents for use in testing, testing in conditions that more closely resemble the actual field conditions where the JBPDS would be deployed, and modeling for predicted performance against actual biological agents. The report concludes that an integrated testing and evaluation plan encompassing all of these factors will be needed. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council A2 - Daniel Talmage A2 - Dionna Ali TI - Directed Evolution for Development and Production of Bioactive Agents: A Meeting Summary SN - DO - 10.17226/18354 PY - 2013 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/18354/directed-evolution-for-development-and-production-of-bioactive-agents-a PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Conflict and Security Issues AB - In 2012, the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) approached the National Research Council and asked that a committee be formed to develop a list of workshop topics to explore the impact of emerging science and technology. One topic that came out of that list was directed evolution for development and production of bioactive agents. This workshop was held on February 21-22, 2013. Directed Evolution for Development and Production of Bioactive Agents explains the objectives of the workshop, which were to explore the potential use of directed evolution1 for military science and technology. Understanding the current research in this area, and the potential opportunities for U.S. adversaries to use this research, might allow the DIA to advise U.S. policy makers in an appropriate and timely manner. The workshop featured invited presentations and discussions that aimed to: -Inform the U.S. intelligence community of the current status of directed evolution technology and related research, and -Discuss possible approaches involving directed evolution that might be used by an adversary to develop toxic biological agents that could pose a threat to the United States or its allies, and how they could be identified. Members of the Committee on Science and Technology for Defense Warning planned the agenda for the workshop, selected the presenters, and helped moderate discussions in which meeting participants probed issues of national security related to directed evolution in an effort to gain an understanding of potential vulnerabilities. Experts were invited from the areas of directed evolution, biosynthesis, detection, and biological agents. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Reopening Public Facilities After a Biological Attack: A Decision Making Framework SN - DO - 10.17226/11324 PY - 2005 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/11324/reopening-public-facilities-after-a-biological-attack-a-decision-making PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Conflict and Security Issues AB - The anthrax attacks in fall 2001 spurred an extensive and costly decontamination effort where many decisions had to be made about which sites required cleanup, what method to use, how to determine the effectiveness of the cleanup, and how "clean" the building had to be for reoccupation. As part of a project funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and managed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the National Research Council was asked to consider the criteria that must be met for a cleanup to be declared successful, allowing the reoccupation of a facility. The report finds that efficiently sampling and characterizing a pathogen is critical for choosing the best remediation strategy. However, there should be no universal standard for deciding when a building is safe to re-enter because varying pathogen amounts and characteristics could require different strategies. The report offers a flowchart for decision-makers that includes questions about the characteristics of the pathogen; how far it has spread; whether it is transmissible between humans; and how long it will survive to pose a threat. The report also recommends that a risk-assessment approach be adopted as part of a strategy for achieving a "socially acceptable" standard for cleanup. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council A2 - Thomas E. McKone A2 - Beverly M. Huey A2 - Edward Downing A2 - Laura M. Duffy TI - Strategies to Protect the Health of Deployed U.S. Forces: Detecting, Characterizing, and Documenting Exposures SN - DO - 10.17226/9767 PY - 2000 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/9767/strategies-to-protect-the-health-of-deployed-us-forces-detecting PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Health and Medicine KW - Environment and Environmental Studies KW - Conflict and Security Issues AB - Since Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Gulf War veterans have expressed concerns about health effects that could be associated with their deployment and service during the war. Although similar concerns were raised after other military operations, the Gulf War deployment focused national attention on the potential, but uncertain, relationship between the presence of chemical and biological (CB) agents and other harmful agents in theater and health symptoms reported by military personnel. Strategies to Protect the Health of Deployed U.S. Forces which is one of the four two-year studies, examines the detection and tracking of exposures of deployed personnel to multiple harmful agents. ER - TY - BOOK AU - Institute of Medicine AU - National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine TI - Assessing Health Outcomes Among Veterans of Project SHAD (Shipboard Hazard and Defense) SN - DO - 10.17226/21846 PY - 2016 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/21846/assessing-health-outcomes-among-veterans-of-project-shad-shipboard-hazard-and-defense PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Health and Medicine AB - Between 1963 and 1969, the U.S. military carried out a series of tests, termed Project SHAD (Shipboard Hazard and Defense), to evaluate the vulnerabilities of U.S. Navy ships to chemical and biological warfare agents. These tests involved use of active chemical and biological agents, stimulants, tracers, and decontaminants. Approximately 5,900 military personnel, primarily from the Navy and Marine Corps, are reported to have been included in Project SHAD testing. In the 1990s some veterans who participated in the SHAD tests expressed concerns to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that they were experiencing health problems that might be the result of exposures in the testing. These concerns led to a 2002 request from VA to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to carry out an epidemiological study of the health of SHAD veterans and a comparison population of veterans who had served on similar ships or in similar units during the same time period. In response to continuing concerns, Congress in 2010 requested an additional IOM study. This second study expands on the previous IOM work by making use of additional years of follow up and some analysis of diagnostic data from Medicare and the VA health care system. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine TI - Review of Report and Approach to Evaluating Long-Term Health Effects in Army Test Subjects: Interim Report SN - DO - 10.17226/25025 PY - 2018 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/25025/review-of-report-and-approach-to-evaluating-long-term-health-effects-in-army-test-subjects PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Health and Medicine AB - Between 1942 and 1975, the U.S. Army conducted tests with human subjects to study the effects of a variety of agents, including chemical warfare and biological agents. The potential long-term health effects on the test subjects from their exposures have been evaluated periodically, most recently in a report titled Assessment of Potential Long-Term Health Effects on Army Human Test Subjects of Relevant Biological and Chemical Agents, Drugs, Medications and Substances: Literature Review and Analysis (the Report), which was prepared by a contractor to assist the Army with making determinations about providing medical care to former test subjects. In response to a request by the Army, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine formed a committee that was tasked with examining whether the Report appropriately identified potential long-term health effects from exposure to the test agents and whether an adequate weight-of-evidence approach was used to characterize the strength of the associations between the agents and their potential health effects. The committee was made aware at its first meeting on November 30, 2017, that the Army had already begun to receive applications for medical care and that some determinations may need to be made before the committee's evaluation of the Report was completed. Because of this urgency, the Army developed a process by which applications for medical care will be reviewed, and as a result, the committee was given the additional task of reviewing the Army's Memorandum that describes the approach that will be used by the Army to evaluate agent- and outcome-specific associations. This interim report was prepared to facilitate the Army's deliberations. A review of the Report is presented first, followed by a review of the Memorandum. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine TI - Review of Report and Approach to Evaluating Long-Term Health Effects in Army Test Subjects SN - DO - 10.17226/25065 PY - 2018 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/25065/review-of-report-and-approach-to-evaluating-long-term-health-effects-in-army-test-subjects PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Conflict and Security Issues KW - Health and Medicine AB - Between 1942 and 1975, the U.S. Army conducted tests on human subjects to study the effects of a variety of agents, including chemical warfare agents, biological agents, medications, vaccines, and other substances. The tests investigated the immediate or short-term health effects from acute exposure to understand vulnerabilities to attack. Whether the exposures could have resulted in long-term health consequences to the test subjects has been assessed periodically, and the Army is required to notify subjects of information relating to potential health effects associated with exposure to the test agents. Most recently, a 2016 court injunction directed the Army to provide test subjects with new information about potential long-term health effects associated with their exposures, and to provide medical care if an injury or illness could be attributed to their participation in an Army chemical or biological testing program. In support of the first requirement, the Army contracted a report, Assessment of Potential Long-Term Health Effects on Army Human Test Subjects of Relevant Biological and Chemical Agents, Drugs, Medications and Substances: Literature Review and Analysis (the Report), to determine whether new information published since 2006 should be provided to the veterans. At the request of the Army, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine formed an ad hoc committee that was tasked with conducting an independent review of the Report. The committee assessed whether the Report appropriately identified potential long-term health effects that could have resulted from test exposures using an adequate weight-of-evidence approach. The general approach for evaluating agent- and outcome-specific associations as outlined in the Army Memorandum was also reviewed. An interim report of its overarching findings and their supporting evidence was prepared in February 2018. This final report provides additional detail about the basis of the committee’s findings and recommendations. No new findings or recommendations have been added to this report. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Naval Forces' Defense Capabilities Against Chemical and Biological Warfare Threats SN - DO - 10.17226/11034 PY - 2004 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/11034/naval-forces-defense-capabilities-against-chemical-and-biological-warfare-threats PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Conflict and Security Issues KW - Health and Medicine AB - U.S. naval forces must be prepared to respond to a broad array of threats. Of increasing importance are those from chemical and biological warfare (CW and BW). To help review its current state of preparedness, the Chief of Naval Operations asked the National Research Council (NRC) to assess the U.S. Navy’s defense capabilities against CW and BW threats. In particular to what extent are they being developed to enable naval forces to sense and analyze quickly the presence of chemical and biological agents, withstand or avoid exposure to such agents, deal with contamination under a broad spectrum of operational conditions, and over what period will these capabilities be realized. This report presents the results of that assessment. It provides an overview of the potential threats, and an evaluation of the Navy’s operations, non-medical programs, and medical countermeasures designed to confront those threats. The report also presents a series of general and specific findings and recommendations based on these assessments. ER - TY - BOOK AU - Institute of Medicine AU - National Research Council TI - BioWatch and Public Health Surveillance: Evaluating Systems for the Early Detection of Biological Threats: Abbreviated Version SN - DO - 10.17226/12688 PY - 2011 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12688/biowatch-and-public-health-surveillance-evaluating-systems-for-the-early PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Conflict and Security Issues AB - Following the attacks of September 11, 2001 and the anthrax letters, the ability to detect biological threats as quickly as possible became a top priority. In 2003 the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) introduced the BioWatch program—a federal monitoring system intended to speed detection of specific biological agents that could be released in aerosolized form during a biological attack. The present volume evaluates the costs and merits of both the current BioWatch program and the plans for a new generation of BioWatch devices. BioWatch and Public Health Surveillance also examines infectious disease surveillance through hospitals and public health agencies in the United States, and considers whether BioWatch and traditional infectious disease surveillance are redundant or complementary. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine A2 - Joe Alper TI - Strategies for Effective Improvements to the BioWatch System: Proceedings of a Workshop SN - DO - 10.17226/25014 PY - 2018 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/25014/strategies-for-effective-improvements-to-the-biowatch-system-proceedings-of PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Biology and Life Sciences AB - BioWatch is the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS’s) system for detecting an aerosolized biological attack using collectors that are positioned strategically across the country to continuously monitor the air for biological threats. As currently deployed, BioWatch collectors draw air through filters that field technicians collect daily and transport to laboratories, where professional technicians analyze the material collected on the filter for evidence of biological threats. As part of the BioWatch program’s efforts to enhance its effectiveness and capabilities, particularly with regard to detecting biological threats in challenging indoor environments, DHS requested the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine hold a workshop to explore alternative and effective biodetection systems for aerosolized biological agents that would meet BioWatch’s technical and operational requirements, integrate into the existing system architecture and public health infrastructure, and be deployable by 2027. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - A Framework for Assessing the Health Hazard Posed by Bioaerosols SN - DO - 10.17226/12003 PY - 2008 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12003/a-framework-for-assessing-the-health-hazard-posed-by-bioaerosols PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Environment and Environmental Studies KW - Conflict and Security Issues AB - Biological warfare agent (BWA) detectors are designed to provide alerts to military personnel of the presence of dangerous biological agents. Detecting such agents promptly makes it possible to minimize contamination and personnel exposure and initiate early treatment. It is also important, though, that detectors not raise an alarm when the situation does not warrant it. The question considered in this book is whether Agent-Containing Particles per Liter of Air (ACPLA) is an appropriate unit of measure for use in the evaluation of aerosol detectors and whether a better, alternative measure can be developed. The book finds that ACPLA alone cannot determine whether a health threat exists. In order to be useful and comparable across all biological agents and detection systems, measurements must ultimately be related to health hazard. A Framework for Assessing the Health Hazard Posed by Bioaerosols outlines the possibility of a more complex, but more useful measurement framework that makes it possible to evaluate relative hazard by including agent identity and activity, particle size, and infectious dose. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Feasibility of Using Mycoherbicides for Controlling Illicit Drug Crops SN - DO - 10.17226/13278 PY - 2011 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/13278/feasibility-of-using-mycoherbicides-for-controlling-illicit-drug-crops PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Agriculture AB - The control of illicit-drug trafficking and drug use is a difficult and complex process that involves a variety of prevention, control, treatment, and law enforcement strategies. Eradication strategies for controlling illicit-drug crops are used to target the beginning of the drug-supply chain by preventing or reducing crop yields. Mycoherbicides have been proposed as an eradication tool to supplement the current methods of herbicide spraying, mechanical removal, and manual destruction of illicit-drug crops. Some people regard them as preferable to chemical herbicides for controlling illicit-drug crops because of their purported specificity to only one plant species or a few closely related species. As living microorganisms, they have the potential to provide long-term control if they can persist in the environment and affect later plantings. Research on mycoherbicides against illicit-drug crops has focused on three pathogens: Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cannabis for cannabis (Cannabis sativa), F. oxysporum f.sp. erythroxyli for coca (Erythroxylum coca and E. novogranatense), and Crivellia papaveracea or Brachycladium papaveris (formerly known as Pleospora papaveracea and Dendryphion penicillatum, respectively) for opium poppy (Papaver somniferum). Feasibility of Using Mycoherbicides for Controlling Illicit Drug Crops addresses issues about the potential use of the proposed mycoherbicides: their effectiveness in eradicating their target plants; the feasibility of their large-scale industrial manufacture and delivery; their potential spread and persistence in the environment; their pathogenicity and toxicity to nontarget organisms, including other plants, fungi, animals, and humans; their potential for mutation and resulting effects on target plants and nontarget organisms; and research and development needs. On the basis of its review, the report concludes that the available data are insufficient to determine the effectiveness of the specific fungi proposed as mycoherbicides to combat illicit-drug crops or to determine their potential effects on nontarget plants, microorganisms, animals, humans, or the environment. However, the committee offers an assessment of what can and cannot be determined at the present time regarding each of the issues raised in the statement of task. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - The Airliner Cabin Environment and the Health of Passengers and Crew SN - DO - 10.17226/10238 PY - 2002 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10238/the-airliner-cabin-environment-and-the-health-of-passengers-and-crew PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Environment and Environmental Studies AB - Although poor air quality is probably not the hazard that is foremost in peoples’ minds as they board planes, it has been a concern for years. Passengers have complained about dry eyes, sore throat, dizziness, headaches, and other symptoms. Flight attendants have repeatedly raised questions about the safety of the air that they breathe. The Airliner Cabin Environment and the Health of Passengers and Crew examines in detail the aircraft environmental control systems, the sources of chemical and biological contaminants in aircraft cabins, and the toxicity and health effects associated with these contaminants. The book provides some recommendations for potential approaches for improving cabin air quality and a surveillance and research program. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council TI - Science Needs for Microbial Forensics: Developing Initial International Research Priorities SN - DO - 10.17226/18737 PY - 2014 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/18737/science-needs-for-microbial-forensics-developing-initial-international-research-priorities PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Biology and Life Sciences KW - Behavioral and Social Sciences KW - Health and Medicine AB - Microbial forensics is a scientific discipline dedicated to analyzing evidence from a bioterrorism act, biocrime, or inadvertent microorganism or toxin release for attribution purposes. This emerging discipline seeks to offer investigators the tools and techniques to support efforts to identify the source of a biological threat agent and attribute a biothreat act to a particular person or group. Microbial forensics is still in the early stages of development and faces substantial scientific challenges to continue to build capacity. The unlawful use of biological agents poses substantial dangers to individuals, public health, the environment, the economies of nations, and global peace. It also is likely that scientific, political, and media-based controversy will surround any investigation of the alleged use of a biological agent, and can be expected to affect significantly the role that scientific information or evidence can play. For these reasons, building awareness of and capacity in microbial forensics can assist in our understanding of what may have occurred during a biothreat event, and international collaborations that engage the broader scientific and policy-making communities are likely to strengthen our microbial forensics capabilities. One goal would be to create a shared technical understanding of the possibilities - and limitations - of the scientific bases for microbial forensics analysis. Science Needs for Microbial Forensics: Developing Initial International Research Priorities, based partly on a workshop held in Zabgreb, Croatia in 2013, identifies scientific needs that must be addressed to improve the capabilities of microbial forensics to investigate infectious disease outbreaks and provide evidence of sufficient quality to support legal proceedings and the development of government policies. This report discusses issues of sampling, validation, data sharing, reference collection, research priorities, global disease monitoring, and training and education to promote international collaboration and further advance the field. ER - TY - BOOK TI - PY - UR - PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English ER -