Med. praxi. 2024;21(1):47-52 | DOI: 10.36290/med.2023.045
The significance of highly dangerous infections in the context of potential biological weapons
- Ústav veřejného zdraví LF Masarykovy univerzity, Brno
- Centra očkování a cestovní medicíny Avenier, a. s.
Highly dangerous infections (HDIs) represent a heterogeneous group of infectious diseases. The common feature is the safety hazard they pose to human society if accidentally or intentionally disseminated. Diseases classified as HDIs may either have a severe clinical course and a high mortality rate or be highly infectious and easily transmissible among susceptible individuals. Some HDIs fulfill both conditions. The aim of the following text is to provide an overview of the most significant HDIs, highlight the potential threat as biological weapons, and present measures designed to reduce these risks or the consequences of such an attack.
Keywords: highly dangerous infections, contagiousness, biological weapons, biological safety levels, prevention.
Received: August 10, 2023; Revised: October 18, 2023; Accepted: November 15, 2023; Published: March 6, 2024 Show citation
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