Skip to main content
Ch. 27 - Microbial Ecology and Microbiomes
Bauman - Microbiology with Diseases by Taxonomy 6th Edition
Bauman6th EditionMicrobiology with Diseases by TaxonomyISBN: 9780134832302Not the one you use?Change textbook
All textbooksBauman 6th EditionCh. 27 - Microbial Ecology and MicrobiomesProblem 8
Chapter 27, Problem 8

Which of the following diseases is not caused by NIAID category A biological weapons
agents?
a. Smallpox
b. Plague
c. Q fever
d. Tularemia

Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand what NIAID category A biological agents are: These are pathogens or toxins that pose the highest risk to national security and public health because they can be easily disseminated or transmitted, result in high mortality rates, and require special preparedness.
Review the list of diseases caused by NIAID category A agents. The main diseases in this category include Smallpox, Plague, Tularemia, Anthrax, Botulism, and Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers.
Compare each option in the question to the known NIAID category A agents: Smallpox (a), Plague (b), and Tularemia (d) are all category A agents.
Identify which disease is not on the NIAID category A list. Q fever (c) is caused by Coxiella burnetii and is classified as a category B agent, which poses a lower risk compared to category A agents.
Conclude that the disease not caused by NIAID category A biological weapons agents is Q fever.

Verified video answer for a similar problem:

This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.
Video duration:
2m
Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

NIAID Category A Biological Agents

Category A agents are biological pathogens or toxins identified by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases as posing the highest risk to national security due to ease of dissemination, high mortality, and potential for public panic. Examples include smallpox, plague, and tularemia.
Recommended video:
Guided course
02:10
Biological Membranes

Diseases Caused by Category A Agents

Diseases caused by Category A agents include smallpox (caused by variola virus), plague (caused by Yersinia pestis), and tularemia (caused by Francisella tularensis). These diseases are highly infectious and can cause severe illness or death.
Recommended video:
Guided course
05:09
Intro to Characteristics of Infectious Disease

Q Fever and Its Classification

Q fever is caused by Coxiella burnetii and is not classified as a Category A agent by NIAID. Instead, it is considered a Category B agent, which poses a moderate risk and is less likely to be used as a bioweapon compared to Category A agents.
Recommended video:
Guided course
03:57
Fever
Related Practice
Textbook Question

Of the following characteristics, which would contribute most to making a microorganism an effective biological warfare agent?

a. Is readily available in the environment

b. Can be spread by contact after original dissemination

c. Cannot be treated well outside a hospital

d. Is easily identified by symptoms

3
views
Textbook Question

Nitrification converts:

a. organic nitrogen to NH3

b. NH3 to NH4+

c. NH4+ or NH3 to NO3

d. NO3 to N2

1
views
Textbook Question

Anammox reactions are:

a. Anaerobic and part of nitrogen cycling

b. Anaerobic and part of carbon cycling

c. Aerobic and part of sulfur cycling

d. Aerobic and part of metal ion oxidation

Textbook Question

Carbon fixation is the conversion of _____ into organic compounds.

3
views
Textbook Question

In aquatic environments, most microbial life is found in the:

a. Littoral zone

b. Limnetic zone

c. Profundal zone

d. Benthic zone

1
views