ACCF/AHA/CDC Conference Report on Emerging Infectious Diseases and Biological Terrorism Threats

In this report, we summarize the findings from the conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases and Biological Terrorism Threats: The Clinical and Public Health Implications for the Prevention and Control of Cardiovascular Diseases, which was sponsored by the American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF), American Heart Association (AHA), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The conference, held on August 13, 2004, at the Heart House in Bethesda, Maryland, allowed for open discussion, constructive commentary, and the formulation of summary statements resulting in the documents presented in the accompanying reports. The primary objectives of the conference were to review 1) the direct clinical cardiovascular implications of emerging infectious diseases and biological terrorism threats; 2) the indirect or secondary cardiovascular implications of biological terrorist events or preparedness strategies for potential bioterrorist events; 3) the best practices for managing suspected cardiovascular complications associated with emerging infectious diseases and biological terrorism threats; and 4) the basic, clinical, and population science research and training needs in this arena. Four tasks forces were formed to address each of the 4 conference objectives. Each task force was charged with producing a report summarizing the relevant conference findings, as well as developing summary statements and future directions for the prevention and control of cardiovascular diseases and complications during an actual bioterrorist attack. In this executive summary and the accompanying task force reports, the term “emerging infectious diseases” includes both emerging (newly recognized, clinically distinct infectious diseases) and re-emerging infectious diseases (known infectious diseases whose reported incidence is increasing in a given place or among a specific population). The term “biological terrorism threats” includes the potential intentional release of both infectious and noninfectious (e.g., toxic) agents in terrorist acts. Overall, the primary focus is on the clinical and public health implications of emerging infectious diseases and biological terrorism threats for the cardiovascular system. The cardiovascular implications of other disasters and threats involving radiological or chemical substances are not primary subjects of these reports.