Biodefense : research methodology & animal models

Provides comprehensive information on the current methods and results of research utilizing animal models. Compares and contrasts the use of various species for each agent and how each species can be best utilized. Saves vital time and money, and minimizes the use of animals by presenting documented findings that can be built upon. Presents pertinent agent information including history, identification techniques, and biochemical properties. Explores how agent pathogenesis in animals would translate to humans. Discusses the new FDA Animal Efficacy rule. Covers infectious disease aerobiology and aerosol challenge methods. Providing current information on a wide variety of animal models used in biological defense research, this book describes three broad categories of agents: bacteria, viruses, and toxins. Each section on a specific agent includes a short history, biochemical properties, and identification techniques, followed by species by species descriptions of each animal model and a comparison to human disease, highlighting the similarities and differences. The book discusses the new FDA Animal Efficacy rule and includes a chapter on the science of aerobiology, a vital technology that is a key component in evaluating the effectiveness of vaccines and therapeutics against an aerosol exposure to biological threat agents.