| name: | Biologic Warfare |
| also known as: | Bacteria Warfare; Bacterial Warfare; Virus Warfare; Viral Warfare; Bioterrorism; Biologic Weapon; Germ Warfare; Poor Man's Atomic Bomb |
| also see: | Chemical Warfare; Anthrax; Smallpox; Dengue; Ebola Virus |
| description: | Bacteria and virus infection as biologic weapons, are sometimes referred to as a "poor man's atomic bomb." On a theoretical level, an infection can spread from individual to individual, or have a multiplier effect. However, due to difficulty in obtaining, processing, and spreading a germ weapon, plus the fact that many such infections are not contagious, or are not very contagious, the ability to use germ warfare as a weapon to infect mass numbers is unlikely. 1. Anthrax - Anthrax is a highly infectious bacterial illness of animals, especially cattle and sheep, that can be transmitted from animals to humans by contact with the infected animals or their waste. Human infection is usually through the skin but can occur by eating contaminated meat or inhaling the anthrax spore into the lungs. Lung anthrax is generally fatal if not treated early. As a biologic weapon, anthrax has the potential of being very lethal. However, since anthrax is not contagious from one person to another, and since it is difficult to manufacture, as well as difficult to spread the spores over a wide area, it is a questionable biologic weapon. Additionally, since it is a bacteria, infection can be treated with antibiotics such as cipro. 2. Smallpox - Smallpox was once a very serious, often fatal viral illness, characterized by very contagious eruptions, high fever, chills. Recovery resulted in scars or pocks. The virus that caused smallpox was declared extinct in 1979, having been eradicated off the face of the earth through vaccination. As a biologic weapon, smallpox would be a moderate to high lethal weapon, but it is believed that the only depositories of the smallpox virus is in government labs in the USA and Russia. Because smallpox is contagious, it would make a better biologic weapon since people can infect each other by coughing. Additionally, since it is a virus rather than a bacteria, infection with smallpox can not be treated. 3. Ebola Virus - Ebola Virus, also called hemorrhagic fever, is a virus illness that appears to be related to exposure to monkeys in Africa and the Philippines, as well as human-to-human transmission. Ebola infection is characterized by hemorrhage or bleeding symptoms, such as skin petechiae, bruising, bleeding gums and is often fatal. As a biologic weapon, it could be very fatal but since it is difficult to obtain, process and spread, it would make a poor biologic weapon. Additionally, since it is a virus rather than a bacteria, infection with ebola virus can not be treated. 4. Dengue - Dengue is very similar to Ebola virus as a biologic weapon, and it also goes by the name hemorrhagic fever. Other possible germ warfare agents could include the following bacteria infections: 1. Brucellosis 2. Tularemia 3. Plague |
Last updated 4/14/2008