Prevention of bioterrorism by vaccines

Prevention against the weapons of bioterrorists is limited by the multiplicity of agents that could be used. Against smallpox, stocks of the classical vaccine must be prepared, but this vaccine is dangerous and we must look for a new and safer vaccine. A vaccine against anthrax is probably possible relatively soon. One may be less optimistic concerning plague, since it is not sure that we could protect against the pulmonary plague, but research in this field is an emergency. The large number of viruses capable of inducing haemorrhagic fevers makes especially difficult the preparation of vaccines against these infections. We must also make available monoclonal antibodies that could be used as therapies against toxin, notably botulism, or against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.