Vaccinia Immune Globulin - Annotated Bibliography Example

Wittek, R. (2006). Vaccinia immune globulin: Current policies, preparedness, and product safety and efficacy. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 10(3), 193-201. Wittek, in this article has shown grave apprehension of spreading of dreaded disease by terrorists in an effort to create fear and destruction to life and properties of the people at large. The concern has become more serious after the dreadful event of 9/11. According to the article, the smallpox that has been eradicated in 1980, but it may still pose serious threat to innocent people if its virus is used by terrorists or rogue states with vested interests. The author has shown the necessity of preserving the smallpox virus so that in the unforeseen circumstances of bioterrorism attack, counter measures can be taken to control the emerging threat of the epidemic. That is the main reason that despite eradication, the virus of smallpox is preserved in the laboratories of United States and Russia, under the guidelines of the United Nation. The article throws insight into the probability of cases of bioterrorism which may have wide ranging ramifications on the innocent populace. Knoph, J. T. & Westerdahl, K.S. (2006). Re-Evaluating Russias Biological Weapons Policy, as Reflected in the Criminal Code and Official Admissions: Insubordination Leading to a Presidents Subordination. Critical Reviews of Microbiology, 32(1), 1-13. Retrieved March 16, 2008, from Ebsco Host Research Database. The well researched article by Knoph and Westerdahl has exposed the insincerity of Russia in maintaining and pursuing biological warfare. According to the authors, the Russian government, initially denied any such ongoing program but later in 1992, President Yeltsin acknowledged the presence of BW but claimed that it was only used as a deterrent measure. For a short period, BW was criminalized in 1993 and later decriminalized in 1996! The article has traced the history of Russian BW program since the 1920s which have been pursued secretly and the use of Anthrax in 1979 in Sverdlovsk (now Yakerterinburg) gave the first indication to the West of suspicious use of BW by Russia. Therefore, the vacillating policy of Russian government has been the focus of concern for the west and the article has maintained that despite becoming partner of various treaties and convention, Russia has not been able to garner any confidence building measures for its efforts to support BTWC( biological and Toxin Weapon Convention 1975) or Geneva Protocol 1929 or even the latest tripartite agreement among US, UK and Russia. Manning, L., Baines, R. N., & Chadd, S. A. (2005). Deliberate contamination of the food supply chain. British Food Journal, 107(4), 225-245. Retrieved March 16, 2008, from Tycho5.umuc.edu. The article is a commendable effort by the authors to highlight the increasing menace of bio-terrorism by using agents like foreign animal diseases (FAD) and infiltrating and contaminating food supply that would result in not only economic loss but which may also have far reaching effects on human and animal lives. The authors seem to have studied major cases of using ‘pathogenic agents to infect the livestock or contaminate food’ (2) that were used by vested interests to deliberately harm the innocent human population and incur huge financial loss. According to the article, the rapid globalization has necessitated the need to urgently address this highly sensitive issue at local, regional, national and international level so as to meet the challenges of the increasing threat of bio-terrorism. The article succinctly emphasizes and elaborates on the various essential steps taken by the world agencies and the individual nations like USA, UK and EU by enacting appropriate laws and regulation to safeguard imports of poultry and other foodstuff. The authors have a done a good job in detailing the measures of preparedness of the nations in emergency cases. Barrett, C. L., Eubank, S. G. & Smith, J. P. (2005). If Smallpox Strikes Portland. Scientific American, 292(3), 54-61. Retrieved March 16, 2008, from Tycho5.umuc.edu. This article in the scientific journal is of special relevance because the authors, who are eminent scientists and are authorities in their respective scientific fields, have tried to evolve appropriate responses to would be cases of bioterrorism where the huge population is deliberately infected with epidemic virus. They have created a simulated model of epidemic and by incorporating the modules of social networking, come up with responses to meet the challenges of the epidemic in a scientific and efficient manner. The program named as ‘EPISIMS’, largely addresses the virtual scenario of epidemic of dangerous and infectious diseases that affect large population in a short time. The article gives an insight into a realistically simulated epidemic that is controlled by measures adopted during the crisis, taking into account the basic criteria of social networking model. The authors have taken care to study and simulate models for various diseases which are able to spread quickly. The original model was based on Portland Oregon assuming the scenario of smallpox epidemic. Madden, L.V. & Wheelis, M. (2003). The Threat of Plant Pathogens as Weapons Against U.S. Crops. Annual Review of Phytopathology, 41(1), 155-176. Retrieved March 16, 2008, from Ebsco Host Research Database. The authors, in the article have raised a highly pertinent concern of biological weapons that can be used against the American populace, by the terrorists. 9/11 has shown that America has become a prime target of terrorists and therefore, the authors have stressed the need to address the issue of using pathogens against the crops which could not only destroy crops but they may also make it barren for further agricultural use, thus affecting huge economic loss. The main reason for vulnerability is because of the fact that agriculture, besides being an economically important factor in the overall American economy, has the vast agricultural land which make it a nearly impossible task to protect it from the increasing threat of bioterrorism using pathogens against the crops. The authors have been successful in highlighting this very important and highly relevant area of concern. The article emphasizes the need for American to urgently address this issue and prepare contingency measures to overcome any future such threats. Read More