Enhancing bioterrorism defense, leveraging animal models for
 viral drug and vaccine development: a review article

Lotfi, Hadi; Izadi, Morteza; Lutfi , Ehsan; Esmaeili Gouvarchin Ghaleh, Hadi

Volume 81, Issue 7 (October 2023) Tehran Univ Med J 2023, 81(7): 470-485 | Back to browse issues page

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Lotfi H, Izadi M, Lutfi E, Esmaeili Gouvarchin Ghaleh H. Enhancing bioterrorism defense, leveraging animal models for viral drug and vaccine development: a review article. Tehran Univ Med J 2023; 81 (7) :470-485
URL: http://tumj.tums.ac.ir/article-1-12715-en.html

Enhancing bioterrorism defense, leveraging animal models for viral drug and vaccine development: a review article

Hadi Lotfi ^*

¹, Morteza Izadi²

, Ehsan Lutfi³

, Hadi Esmaeili Gouvarchin Ghaleh³

1- Department of Medical Microbiology, sabzevar University of Medical Science, Sabzevar, Iran.
2- Health Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
3- Applied Virology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract: (359 Views)

Deliberate or threatening use of viruses, bacteria, toxins, or poisonous substances prepared from living organisms to cause death or disease in humans, animals, and plants is called bioterrorism. These agents can be spread by spraying them in the air, causing infection in animals, transferring this infection to humans, or contaminating water and food sources. Defense measures, such as emergency responses to this type of terrorism, are unfamiliar and unknown. The general state of helplessness caused by the lack of complete preparation and the lack of anti-pollution strategies complicates the issue. The ability and widespread interest of civilian personnel to participate in the development of chemical and biological weapons is directly related to easy access to academic excellence around the world. Another factor is the tempting misuse of freely available electronic data and knowledge about the production of antibiotics, vaccines, and conventional weapons with their various complex details. The use of animals in laboratory research to better understand the mechanisms of disease and treatment and to overcome the limitations of clinical trials has a long history. For many viruses, laboratory diagnostic methods and reagents must be continuously modified to account for genetic variations and variants. Unlike bacterial diseases, many of which can be treated with antimicrobial drugs, there are fewer medical countermeasures to combat viral infections. Many of these pathogens are lethal or cause debilitating diseases in humans, making it ethically inappropriate to test the effectiveness of these countermeasures on human volunteers. Researchers must have a correct understanding of various animal models so that they can make the correct choice, gain a better understanding of the clinical symptoms of viral diseases, and provide possible options for treatment and vaccine development. It should be noted that decision-making when faced with a biological attack should be done away from too much fear, and this requires researchers to have prior knowledge of facing these threats. Despite all these checks and measures taken in advance, the international preparedness against these attacks is weak, which can be attributed to the lack of global plans to deal with the epidemic.

Keywords: animal models, bioterrorism, drug, vaccine, viral diseases.

Full-Text [PDF 1285 kb] (199 Downloads)

Type of Study: Review Article |