Editing Biological agent (section)

==Classifications==
===Operational===
The former [[United States biological weapons program]] (1943–1969) categorized its weaponized anti-personnel bio-agents as either "lethal agents" (''[[Bacillus anthracis]]'', ''[[Francisella tularensis]]'', [[Botulinum toxin]]) or "incapacitating agents" (''[[Brucella suis]]'', ''[[Coxiella burnetii]]'', [[Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus]], [[Enterotoxin type B|staphylococcal enterotoxin B]]).<ref>Headquarters, Departments of the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force, and Commandant, Marine Corps (17 July 2000), ''Field Manual: Treatment of Biological Warfare Casualties'' (Army FM 8-284/Navy NAVMED P-5042/Air Force AFMAN (I) 44-156/Marine Corps MCRP 4-11.1C), para 1-4 (pg 1-3).</ref>

===Legal===
Since 1997, United States law has declared a list of bio-agents designated by the [[U.S. Department of Health and Human Services]] or the [[U.S. Department of Agriculture]] that have the "potential to pose a severe threat to public health and safety" to be officially defined as "[[select agents]]" and possession or transportation of them are tightly controlled as such.<ref>''Additional Requirements for Facilities Transferring or Receiving Select Agents'', Title 42 CFR Part 72 and Appendix A; 15 April 1997 (DHHS).</ref> Select agents are divided into "HHS select agents and toxins", "USDA select agents and toxins" and "Overlap select agents and toxins".

===Regulatory===
The US [[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] (CDC) breaks biological agents into three categories: [[Bioterrorism#Types of agents|Category A, Category B, and Category C]]. Category A agents pose the greatest threat to the US. Criteria for being a Category "A" agent include high rates of morbidity and mortality, ease of dissemination and communicability, ability to cause a public panic, and special action required by public health officials to respond. Category A agents include [[anthrax]], [[botulism]], [[Plague (disease)|plague]], [[smallpox]], and viral hemorrhagic fevers.