Why are public health officials concerned about smallpox being used as a biological weapon? Give several reasons in your answer

What will be an ideal response?


Answer: The causative agent for smallpox, Variola major, kills approximately 30% of those individuals who are infected with the virus. Along with a high mortality rate, the virus is rapidly disseminated by aerosol spray. The virus can also spread within a population through person-to-person contact. Because over 90% of people worldwide are susceptible to smallpox, the concern for the virus being used as a biological weapon is great.

Biology & Microbiology

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Relatively small geographic areas with high concentrations of endemic species and a large number of endangered and threatened species are known as _____

A) endemic sinks B) critical communities C) biodiversity hot spots D) endemic metapopulations E) bottlenecks

Biology & Microbiology

Cholesterol can be remodeled into

a. bile salts. b. sex hormones. c. steroids. d. vitamin D. e. all of these.

Biology & Microbiology

One disease for which gene therapy has been attempted but has not yet been successful is

A. anthrax. B. tuberculosis. C. the common cold. D. cystic fibrosis.

Biology & Microbiology

Which observation led Darwin to propose that the glyptodont is related to the armadillo?

a. Both species lived in the same region at the same time. b. Both species went extinct at the same time. c. Both species are adapted for marine life. d. Both species have helmets, bony shells, and unusual bony plates. e. Each species is found in different regions of the world.

Biology & Microbiology