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Biological
agents that are used for terrorist activities, i.e. as weapons,
are organisms or toxins that can kill or incapacitate people,
livestock and crops. The three basic groups of biological agents
which would likely be used as weapons are viruses, bacteria,
and toxins.
1.Viruses - organisms that are dependent upon other living
cells that they infect to live and reproduce. Viruses rarely
respond to anibiotic therapy. However, antiviral drugs are sometimes
effective.
2. Bacteria - small free-living organisms that reproduce
by simple division and are easy to grow. The illnesses that
manifest from these organisms can usually be treated with various
antibiotics.
3. Toxins - poisonous substances mostly found in, and
extracted from, living plants, animals, or microorganisms, although
some toxins can be produced or altered chemically altered. Some
toxins can be treated with specific antitoxins and selected
drugs.
Most biological agents are difficult to grow and maintain. Sunlight
and other environmental factors cause rapid breakdown of many
agents, but others, such as anthrax can last a very long time.
They are normally spread in three different ways:
-Aerosols-Biological agents are dispersed
into the air, forming a fine mist that may drift for miles,
and cause illness to those that inhale it.
-Animals-the spreading of disease by insects
and animals, such as fleas, mice, flies, and mosquitoes.
These insects and animals then come into contact with individuals
and other animals, and spread the agent via direct and or indirect
contact with bodily fluids. Deliberately spreading diseases
through livestock is also referred to as agroterrorism.
-Food and water contamination-Some pathogenic
organisms and toxins may cause illness when added to food
and water supplies. Most microbes can be killed, and toxins deactivated,
by cooking food and boiling water.
Common
Bioterrorism Threats
Anthrax
is an infectious disease that occurs mostly in animals such
as cows, sheep, goats, and other herbivores, but humans are
all susceptible to this illness if they are exposed to infected
animals or animal tissue. Anthrax is found mostly in agricultural
regions in the animal populations of South and Central America,
Southern and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and
the Middle East. It is caused by a spore-forming bacterium called
Bacillus anthracis (industrial anthrax).
MORE...
Botulism
is a serious illness caused by a nerve toxin that is produced
by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. The illness is rare,
but its effects on the body are often paralytic in nature. The
three main kinds of botulism are foodborne, wound, and intestinal
(adult and infant). Foodborne botulism occurs when foods that
contain the botulism toxin are ingested. Wound botulism is caused
by toxin produced from a wound infected with Clostridium botulinum.
MORE...
Plague is a disease caused by Yersinia
pestis (Y. pestis), a bacterium found in rodents and their fleas
in many areas around the world. MORE...
Smallpox is an infectious
disease that gets its name from the Latin word for “spotted”,
because of the appearance of raised bumps on the face and body
of the individual afflicted with it. There is currently no specific
treatment for smallpox other than treating each individual’s
symptoms. The only type of prevention is by receiving the smallpox
vaccination. Fortunately, with the exception of some laboratory
trains, the virus has been eliminated from existence due to
the vaccination program.. MORE...
Tularemia is an infectious disease
caused by a hardy bacterium, Francisella tularensis, found in
animals (especially rodents, rabbits, and hares). MORE...
Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) refer
to a group of illnesses that are caused by several distinct
families of viruses. In general, the term "viral hemorrhagic
fever" is used to describe a severe multisystem syndrome
(multisystem in that multiple organ systems in the body are
affected). Characteristically, the overall vascular system is
damaged, and the body's ability to regulate itself is impaired.
These symptoms are often accompanied by hemorrhage (bleeding);
however, the bleeding is itself rarely life-threatening. While
some types of hemorrhagic fever viruses can cause relatively
mild illnesses, many of these viruses cause severe, life-threatening
disease. MORE...
Information
obtained from FEMA
and the CDC
(Center for Disease Control and Prevention) |
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