Biological Quick Reference Guides
Bacterials
Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis) QRG (2022)
Plague (Yersinia pestis) QRG (2022)
Brucellosis (Brucella) QRG (2011)
Q-fever (Coxiella brunetii) QRG (2011)
Glanders & Melioidosis (Burkholderia mallei & Burkholderia pseudomallei) QRG (2011)
Tularemia (Francisella tularensis) QRG (2011)
Virals
Hemorrhagic Fever Viruses QRG (2021)
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (Hantavirus) QRG (2012)
Smallpox and Mpox (Variola and Monkeypox Viruses) QRG (2024)
Tick-Borne Encephalitis (Tick-Borne Encephalitis virus) QRG (2012)
Biotoxins
Ricin and Abrin (Ricinus communis and Abrus precatorius) QRG (2020)
Botulism (Clostridium botulinum) QRG (2024)
QRG Reference Documents
Bacterials Reference Documents (2012)
Virals Reference Documents (2012)
External Web Links
Biological Incident Annex to the Response and Recovery Federal Interagency Operational Plan, February 2025 (DHS FEMA)
The Biological Incident Annex (BIA) provides guidance and serves as a reference for federal agency planning efforts involving biological incidents. Other stakeholders (e.g., state, local, tribal, territorial as well as insular area governments; non-governmental organizations; voluntary agencies; and the private sector) engaged in their own planning efforts will find this document useful in enhancing their understanding of how the BIA is implemented and how to best integrate their planning efforts with those outlined in this annex.
Biologically Derived Toxins Addendum to the Biological Incident Annex of the Response and Recovery Federal Interagency Operational Plan, February 2025 (DHS FEMA)
The Biotoxins Addendum provides guidance and serves as a reference for federal agency planning efforts involving a biologically derived toxin (or “biotoxin”) incident. Other stakeholders (e.g., state, local, tribal, and territorial as well as insular area governments; non-governmental organizations; voluntary agencies; and the private sector) engaged in their own planning efforts will find this document useful in enhancing their understanding of how the Biotoxins Addendum is implemented by the federal government and how to best integrate their planning efforts with those outlined in this addendum.
Key Planning Factors and Considerations for Response to and Recovery from a Biological Incident, August 2022 (DHS FEMA)
The scope of this document is planning for biological incidents in state, local, tribal, and territorial as well as insular area government jurisdictions and regional levels. It provides key planning factors (KPFs) and considerations applicable across a range of potential biological incident types.
EPA/CDC Interim Clearance Strategy for Environments Contaminated with Bacillus anthracis (Anthrax), July 2012 (EPA)
EPA and CDC have developed an interim clearance strategy to aid Incident Command/Unified Command (IC/UC) in clearing a building or an outdoor environment after an incident involving contamination with Bacillus anthracis. The strategy is based on the best available science and most practical approach, and is intended for use by public health and environmental Federal responders supporting the IC/UC responding to a Bacillus anthracis incident.
Understanding Detection Limits within the Interim Clearance Goal for Bacillus anthracis Contamination, EPA/600/R-21/124, May 2021 (EPA)
Following an environmental contamination incident involving Bacillus anthracis, assessments will be needed to determine the extent of contamination, efficiency of remediation, and the risks that might be present. In this report, sampling and analysis method ranges of recovery efficiency (RE), limit of detections (LOD), and false negative rates (FNR) for environmental matrices and analysis methods were summarized and used to illustrate their effects on the interpretation of sampling results in regard to clearance decisions. The current detection limits and considerations discussed in this report will help to define the inputs to these risk considerations and could be used by decision makers and the environmental unit when characterizing and clearing a site.
Biothreat Agents (EPA)
EPA emergency response resources to respond to incidents involving biological agents and biotoxins.
Biological Response Tools (EPA)
Tools and frameworks available to support remediation activities associated with wide-area sampling in a biological incident.
Anthrax (CDC)
Emergency Preparedness and Response for Anthrax.
CDC Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Anthrax, 2023 (CDC)
The updated guidelines in this report can be used by health care providers to prevent and treat anthrax and guide emergency preparedness officials and planners as they develop and update plans for a wide-area aerosol release of B. anthracis.
Suspected Intentional Use of Biologic and Toxic Agents; Chapter 24 of The CDC Field Epidemiology Manual (CDC)
Events involving the malicious or suspected intentional use of a biological or toxic agent may require epidemiologists to work with law enforcement. Cross-sector collaboration is necessary to prevent loss of life, protect public safety, and minimize adverse outcomes for both public health (e.g., increased morbidity and mortality) and law enforcement (e.g., inability to apprehend and/or convict the perpetrator). This chapter provides a general guide to improve coordination and collaboration between public health and law enforcement that will facilitate timely identification, assessment, and investigation during outbreaks suspected of being intentionally caused.