Bioterrorism

"Diseases can be caused naturally by s such as bacteria, viruses and s (natural risk). However, such biological agents can be intentionally disseminated in the by a State (military context) or terrorists to cause diseases in a population or , to destabilize a nation by creating a climate of terror, destabilizing the economy and undermining institutions. Biological agents can be classified according to the severity of illness they cause, its mortality and how easily the agent can be spread. The (CDC) classify biological agents in three categories (A, B and C); Category A consists of the six pathogens most suitable for use as bioweapons (', ', ', , smallpox and s). represent a perfect biomedical countermeasure as they present both prophylactic and therapeutic properties, act fast and are highly specific to the target. This review focuses on the main biological agents that could be used as s, the history of biowarfare and antibodies that have been developed to neutralize these agents."

"Smallpox, the only disease ever eradicated, is one of the six considered a serious threat for biological terrorism ( et al., 1999; Mahy, 2003; Whitley, 2003). Smallpox has several attributes that make it a potential threat. It can be grown in large amounts. It spreads via the respiratory route. It has a 30% mortality rate. The potential for an attack using smallpox motivated to call for phased vaccination of a substantial number of American and workers (Grabenstein and Winkenwerder, 2003; Stevenson and Stolberg, 2002). Following September 11, 2001, the United States rebuilt its supplies of vaccine and , expanded the network of laboratories capable of testing for , and engaged in a broad education campaign to help health care workers and the general public understand the disease (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2003a)."

".. Among the agents that remain on today's threat lists, and smallpox make particularly compelling weapons, but as science and technology advance, the number of worrisome agents is expanding greatly. Furthermore, large-scale industrial processes are not necessary for the development of potent biologic weapons. Increasingly, the means for propagating biologic agents under controlled conditions are being made accessible to anyone. Even our traditional concept of “weaponization” is misleading: nature provides mechanisms for packaging and preserving many infectious agents that can be manipulated through and — for example, by enhancing the virulence of naturally sporulating organisms. and — advances in encapsulation technology, for instance — will provide new ways to package such agents. And self-replicating agents that are highly transmissible among humans, such as and , need little or no alteration in order to be disseminated efficiently by terrorists. Nor should we presume, on the basis of history, that when biologic agents are used deliberately and maliciously, they are capable of causing only relatively limited harm. The large biologic-weapons programs of the late 20th century were never unleashed."

"s were recognized for their potential impact on people and armies as early as 600 BC … The crude use of filth and cadavers, animal carcasses, and had devastating effects and weakened the enemy … Polluting wells and other sources of water of the opposing army was a common strategy that continued to be used through the many European wars, during the American Civil War, and even into the 20th century. Military leaders in the Middle Ages recognized that victims of infectious diseases could become weapons themselves …"

"Nothing engenders more fear than the thought that when you go outside you may encounter a deadly that will result in an agonizing illness followed by death. One should keep a sense of proportion. Thus far, at least, the agents of bioterrorism look rather puny is their impact. In terms of kill power, only about 10% of all deaths result from , either directly or indirectly. That means that, in a world of 6 billion people with an average life expectancy of 60 years, about 10 million people will die every year from an infectious disease. Currently the three major killers are the , tuberculosis, and malaria, which account for, respectively, 3 million, 2 million, and 1 million deaths per year. It should be noted that none of these is considered an agent of bioterrorism and that bioterrorism events have never resulted in more than a few thousand deaths in a single episode. A major reason that HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria are not considered likely agents for bioterrorism is that their actin takes many months, or even years, to be felt. Most agents used by bioterrorists are effective in matter of hours or days. Thus, time to impact appears to be an important component of bioterrorism."