BIOTECHNOLOGY

Innovation For life

BIOWEAPONS

WELCOME TO THE NEW ERa of HUMAN EXTINCTION

WHAT ARE BIOWEAPONS BIO IN SIMPLE STANDS FOR LIFE

WEAPONS

STANDS FOR LIFE KILLING AGENT

BIOWEAPONS Biological weapons are toxic materials

produced from pathogenic organisms (usually microbes) or artificially manufactured toxic substances that are used to intentionally interfere with the biological processes of a host. These substances work to kill or incapacitate the host. Biological weapons may be used to target living organisms such as humans, animals or vegetation. They may also be used to contaminate nonliving substances such as air, water and soil.

Biologicalagents

Bacteria

Fungi

Protist

Virus

BIOWEAPONS AGENTS

DISEASE Anthrax Bacillus anthracis Cholera Vibrio cholera

Diphtheria Corynebacterium diphtheria

Plague Yersinia pestis

CAUSATIVE AGAENT

WHAT ARE ADVANTAGES OF BIOLOGICS AS WEAPONS? May be easier, faster to produce and more cost-

effective than other weapons Potential for dissemination over large geographic area High morbidity and mortality Creates panic Person-to-person transmission possible (smallpox,

plague, and viral hemorrhagic fever) Difficult to diagnose and/or treat

Inexpensive and easy to produce Can be aerosolized (1-10 µm) Survives sunlight, drying, heat Cause lethal or disabling disease Person-to-person transmission No effective treatment

Ideal Characteristics for Potential Biological Terrorism Agent

Generate high levels of panic among population

Easy to obtainInexpensiveEasy to produce in mass quantitiesCan be relatively easily “weaponized” or

altered for maximum effect (even with genetic manipulation)

High infectivityHigh person-to-person contagionHigh mortality

THE FOLLOWING ARE DESIRABLE CHARACTERISTICS FOR BIOLOGICAL AGENTS TO BE

USED FOR HARMFUL INTENT

Symptoms of Potential Bioterrorism Diseases - Challenges of Detection

AnthraxPlagueQ feverTularemiaSmallpox

Agent

MediastinitisPneumoniaPleuritis, hepatitisPneumoniaPustules

Clinical Effect

} HeadacheFeverMalaiseCough

Initial Symptoms

Operation Desert Storm

The United Nations confirmed that Iraq had weaponized anthrax, botulism and ricin. An anthrax vaccination program was initiated for troops engaged in Operation Desert Storm. (After the war, Iraq admitted testing weaponized anthrax in missiles.)

GULF WAR 1991

Copyright © 2005 by NAAEP. All rights reserved.

THE ESCHAR OF CUTANEOUS ANTHRAX

World Experience with Anthrax US Series

18 cases in 101 years

Last Pulmonary Case 1976

Sverdlosk, USSR: Large outbreak

from weapons plant Highly perverted

data…KGB, Meselson

2001 US?

REFERENCEBOOKS : Brooks ICSE Biology-1

URLs : http://www.americanscience.com http://www.google.com http://www.bioschool.com

THE END

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