Is staphylococcal enterotoxin B a bioweapons threat?
It has been studied as a potential biological agent of war because: • It can be easily aerosolized and is very stable. • Can cause multi-organ system failure and even shock and death when inhaled at very high dosages. • Staphylococcal enterotoxin B is classified as an “incapacitating agent” because in most cases aerosol exposure results not in death, but in a temporary though profoundly incapacitating illness lasting as long as 2 weeks. Transmission Q: How is one exposed to staphylococcal enterotoxin B? A: Staphylococcal enterotoxin B normally enters the body through the digestive tract. A deliberate aerosol release would enter the body by inhalation. Q: Can staphylococcal enterotoxin B be spread from one person to another? A: No, there is no person-to-person transmission. As a toxin, staphylococcal enterotoxin B acts directly on the person who ingests or inhales it and is not an “infection” that is reproduced inside the body. Isolation of affected individuals is not necessary. Q: Can
