Bioterrorism and critical care

Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and the distribution of mail containing anthrax spores in the United States, the threat of a large-scale bioterrorist attack has become very real. This article focuses on the biologic weapons that are likely to cause widespread casualties and overwhelm the health care system resources. Because many of the biologic agents are capable of causing critical illness, critical care physicians will find themselves at the forefront of a biologic attack. Specific clinical knowledge of the various agents and careful preplanning may be the most effective means of dealing with suck an event.