| January
21, 2003
Little Rock --
On
Friday, Jan. 17, two state veterinarians attended a
first ever course on the detection and prevention of the
spread of zoonotic diseases that could be used for
bioterrorism.
Dr.
Sharon Williams, the State Public Health Veterinarian
from the Arkansas Department of Health, and Dr. Bob
Harbison, the Assistant State Veterinarian from the
Livestock and Poultry Commission, attended the special
training session and received tools to educate their
peers and clients in Arkansas about detection and
prevention of the spread of zoonotic diseases used for
bioterroristic purposes. Drs. Williams and Harbison were
two of 120 U.S. veterinarians selected to participate in
this program.
A
zoonotic disease affects both animals and humans. A
majority of the biological agents designated by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as
potential instruments of bioterrorism are zoonotic, some
of which include anthrax, botulism, plague and
Brucellosis and toxins such as ricin.
Drs. Williams
and Harbison learned about the systems in place to
protect the U.S. from accidental or intentional
introduction of these agents and diseases and received
materials to deliver overview presentations to four
types of audiences: food animal veterinarians, companion
animal veterinarians, food animal producers, and
companion animal owners. They were also given in depth
material for 24 one-hour presentations on zoonotic
diseases.
Iowa
State University's Center for Food Security and Public
Health (CFSPH) conducted the training session, entitled
Bioterrorism Awareness Education: Zoonotic Disease
Training for Veterinarians. Surgeon General Richard
Carmona, MD, gave the keynote address on the role of
veterinarians in bioterrorism preparedness and the U.S.
public health system. The CFSPH is federally funded and
was established to increase national preparedness for
accidental or intentional introduction of disease agents
that threaten food production or public health. The
center integrates veterinary medicine and expertise in
zoonotic diseases with ongoing activities and needs of
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Williams
and Harbison have agreed to give presentations on
zoonotic diseases to various audiences in Arkansas. To
schedule a presentation, contact Dr. Williams at (501)
661-2893 or Dr. Harbison at (501) 907-2400.
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