Clinicopathologic features of viral agents of potential use by bioterrorists

Concerns regarding the possible use of viral agents as weapons of mass dest ruction have heightened our need to recognize disease syndromes caused by t hese pathogens and to increase our understanding of potential countermeasur es. This article reviews the clinical and pathologic features of various vi ruses that are generally thought to be potential biowarfare threat, and oth er related agents of topical interest. The epidemiologic and clinical aspec t of recent natural outbreaks of disease caused by exotic viral agents are briefly described. Viral tissue target, immune responses to these agents, r elevant animal models, and diagnostic and potential therapeutic modalities also are discussed.