Factors Affecting the Competency of Nursing Students Regard-ing Bioterrorism

"Bioterrorism is an intentional act of spreading of biological agents, such as viruses, bacteria, toxins, and fungi that cause diseases or death to humans, animals, or plants"(1). The major bio-logical agents covered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are toxic infectious agents, such as anthrax, smallpox, botulinus, viral hemorrhagic fevers, and tularemia (1). Conduct-ing bioterrorism is less expensive than conduct-ing nuclear or chemical terrorism; bioterrorism agents can be easily mass-produced, purchased, and transported, and their prevention is difficult and requires follow-up measures. In addition, the source of infections and the route of transmis-sion are difficult to trace, and this leads to strong infectiousness and high mortality rates (2). Thus, an unsuitable systematic response at the level of a national disaster medical system can lead to very harmful damages.