Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Pharmaceutical Microbiology Graduates Regarding Bioterrorism Preparedness in Nigeria

Bioterrorism preparedness has become an increasingly relevant aspect of pharmaceutical microbiology professional competence in the post-COVID-19 era, yet awareness and preparedness among Nigerian microbiology graduates remain unstudied. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of pharmaceutical microbiology graduates regarding bioterrorism threat recognition, response protocols, and laboratory preparedness in Nigeria. A structured, validated KAP questionnaire was administered online to 200 pharmaceutical microbiology graduates employed across laboratory, industrial, and regulatory sectors nationwide. Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression to identify predictors of adequate knowledge and preparedness. Results showed that only 38.5 percent of respondents demonstrated adequate knowledge of Category A bioterrorism agents such as Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis, and Clostridium botulinum. Positive attitudes toward preparedness training were expressed by 79 percent, but only 21 percent had participated in any bioterrorism simulation or training in their current employment. Graduates employed in academic and research institutions had significantly higher knowledge scores than those in community pharmacy or industrial settings. Absence of national bioterrorism preparedness training curricula for pharmacy and microbiology professionals was identified as the primary systemic gap. The study recommends the integration of biodefense and bioterrorism preparedness modules into postgraduate pharmaceutical microbiology curricula and mandatory continuing professional education programs. Keywords: bioterrorism preparedness, pharmaceutical microbiology, KAP, Category A agents, Nigeria.