Public Health Emergencies

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Biological

The U.S. public health system and primary healthcare providers must be prepared to address various biological agents, including pathogens that are rarely seen in the United States. High-priority agents include organisms that pose a risk to national security because they:

• Can be easily disseminated or transmitted from person to person;
• Result in high mortality rates and have the potential for major public health impact; and
• Require special action for public health preparedness
  • Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis)
  • Botulism (Clostridium botulinum toxin)
  • Plague (Yersinia pestis)
  • Smallpox
  • Tularemia (Francisella tularensis)
  • Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHFs)

Chemical

A chemical emergency involves the release of a chemical that could harm people’s health.

Natural Disasters

Pandemic Influenza

Radiological