This document discusses the pathogens and toxins used as biological weapons.
The key factors that make a biological pathogen or toxin suitable for a large-scale biowarfare attack include: availability; ability to cause desired effects in humans at doses that are achievable and deliverable; appropriate particle size in aerosol; ease of dissemination; stability after production in storage, weapons, and the environment; and susceptibility of intended victims with nonsusceptibility of friendly forces. Biological agents may be delivered in either wet or dry form. Biowarfare agents might be released by means of sprays, explosive devices, and contamination of food and water. Most commonly, delivery methods use aerosolized agent. Some advantages of using biological weapons are the potential deadly effects on a susceptible population; relatively low cost of producing many biological weapons; the insidious symptoms that can mimic endemic diseases; and the sparing of property and physical surroundings. Disadvantages include the danger that it can affect the health of the aggressor forces; the effects of weather conditions on dispersion; the long incubation period for many agents; and the public's aversion to the use of biological warfare agents. A proper defense against biological weapons requires an understanding of the enemy and likely objectives for attack, and the adoption of effective personal protective measures to minimize their impact. Many factors make biological agents attractive to terrorists: the availability, effective means of sabotage, and the ability to create panic. A good biological defense requires a sensitive environmental monitoring system to be employed, one that can detect the presence of toxic or infectious biological materials in the environment. An epidemiological surveillance system that closely monitors unusual illnesses or outbreaks of disease is also extremely important. A field medical laboratory capable of identifying live agents or toxins quickly and accurately in medical samples is an absolute necessity. Indications of a possible biowarfare attack include unusual or multiple disease entities, high morbidity and mortality, and sentinel dead animals of multiple species. 20 references