Category A (natural or engineered organisms or toxins that represent the highest risk to the public and national security) Category B (moderately highest priority) Category C (emerging pathogens) •They can be easily spread or transmitted from person to person, •They result in high death rates and have the potential for major public health impact •They might cause public panic and social disruption •They require special action for public health preparedness •They are moderately easy to spread •They result in moderate illness rates and low death rates •They require specific enhancements of CDC’s laboratory capacity and enhanced disease monitoring •They are easily available •They are easily produced and spread •They have potentiality for high morbidity and mortality rates

Table 1: Main characteristics used by CDC to classify bacterial agents in function of the probability of their utilization and the danger would produce after a bioterrorist attack.