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Recent global events place biosecurity at the centre of Australia's national interest. The worldwide Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak; the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) outbreaks in the UK; and the use of anthrax as an agent for bioterrorism demonstrate the broad and significant impact of emerging infectious diseases on trade, tourism, animal production, public health, wildlife conservation and economic growth.
Australia is not removed from these global events, and we need to improve our national and regional capacity for systematic and coordinated approaches to disease prevention, preparedness and response.
More new animal disease viruses have been identified in Australia since 1994 than in any previous equivalent period. The key risks for Australia in relation to new and emerging diseases are: |
Working at the highest level of microbial security, scientists must wear a full suit with its own air supply. The suit is used when working with infectious agents that can kill people, and for which no treatment or vaccine is available.
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- growing tourism and trade, increasing people and product movements, and associated risks for transmission of disease
- the evolution of pathogenic or more pathogenic strains of infectious agents
- changes in climate and ecology, with associated changes in vector-borne disease
- limited coordinated surveillance and response capacity across the region, combined with instability associated with large scale movements of people and animals in, for example, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Indonesia
Bioterrorism
Bioterrorism is the use, or threatened use, of a disease-causing microorganism against human or agricultural targets with the intent of causing death or economic losses.
The Australian Biosecurity CRC is not directly involved with bioterrorism-related research. However the tools and technologies flowing from the AB-CRC’s research could assist in the management and control of a bioterrorism incident. The AB-CRC will assist other Commonwealth agencies should they require our knowledge and expertise of infectious disease agents.
For more information, visit:
Australia’s Biosecurity Health Response
Australian National Security
Emergency Management Australia
Centres for Disease Control & Prevention (USA)
Centre for the Study of Bioterrorism and Emerging Infections (USA)
History of Biowarfare & Bioterrorism (USA) |