Bacteria, Viruses, and Toxins

DNA base sensors for detection of biological agents have the advantages of high sensitivity, selectivity, ability to operate in turbid media, and to be amenable to miniaturization (Shah and Wilkins 2003). The biological agents include bacteria, viruses, and toxins that may be aerosoled deliberately in air, food, or water to spread terrorism and cause disease or death to humans, animals, or plants. 

IgG Protects against bacteria, viruses, and toxins in blood and lymph Blood and tissue fluids... 

Dermal. Intact skin provides an effective barrier against penetration by bacteria and viruses. However, infection can be caused by some bacteria, viruses and toxins entering the body through damaged skin if there is associated physical injury. 

Bacteria, viruses, and rickettsiae have similar symptom progressions in that exposure is followed by a period of reproductive growth (often nonsympto-matic) in the body. As their numbers increase, they often eventually overcome the immune system. Many produce toxins that interfere with bodily functions. Purified toxins such as botulinum toxin (produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacteria) act in a similar manner to chemical agents since, as complex chemical compounds, they do not reproduce but immediately interfere with bodily functions. However, most toxins are not absorbed through the skin, as... 

D. Pathogenic Microorganisms (Bacteria, Fungi, Viruses) and Toxins... 

Biological agents can be subdivided into several related groups. These include bacteria and rickettsia, viruses, and toxins. Bacteria and rickettsia are single-celled, microscopic organisms that can cause disease in plants, animals, and humans. Some... 

Protein sensing involves detection of the protein component of the pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and individnal toxins. It requires minimal sample preparation. Specificity is achieved by using antibodies, receptors, or aptamers raised or selected to specifically bind surface proteins or whole bacteria, bacterial spores, viral particles, or individual toxins. 

More than 250 different foodborne diseases have been described. Most of these diseases are infections, caused by a variety of bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can be foodborne. Other diseases are poisonings, caused by harmful toxins or chemicals that have contaminated the food, for example, poisonous mushrooms. These different diseases have many different symptom.s. so there is no one "syndrome that is foodborne illness. However, the microbe or toxin enters the body through the ga.strointestinal tract, and often causes the first symptoms there, so nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhea are common symptoms in many foodborne diseases. 

C. botulinum, dengue, Ebola, EEE, Lassa, plague, Q-fever, ricin, SEB, smallpox, T-2 mycotoxin, tularemia, VEE, and WEE. Other entries involve broader treatments of more than one bacteria, virus, or toxin. Treatments for viruses, C. botulinum, and T-2 mycotoxin account for 35% of the treatment entries in the inventory (13%, 12%, and... 

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