Per Ready.gov
Biological agents are organisms or toxins that can kill or disable people, livestock and crops. Biological events can either be accidental or intentional. Both types of events can make you sick.
There are three basic groups of biological agents that could either accidentally or intentionally hurt someone:
Bacteria
Viruses
Toxins.
Biological agents can be spread when they get sprayed into the air, with person-to-person contact, when animals are infected and then interact with people, or when food and water are contaminated.
Below is a listing of Category A Bioterrorism Agents/Diseases based on the CDC website:
Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis)
Botulism (Clostridium botulinum toxin)
Plague (Yersinia pestis)
Smallpox (variola major)
Tularemia (Francisella tularensis)
Viral hemorrhagic fevers, including
Arenaviruses (Lassa, Machupo)
To learn more about Planning and Preparing - Before a Biohazard Exposure and During a Possible Exposure visit: Biohazard Exposure | Ready.gov
