A Terrifying Problem of Bioterrorism

In our world there are many forms of terrorism big and large an what we often forget is that there are other smaller forms of terrorism that we barely notice. They are the biggest threat , are on the highest priority list of terrorism acts and have the potential to kill the most when they are emitted. These acts are known as acts of bioterrorism. Bioterrorism’s are best described as: “deliberate releases of viruses, bacteria, or germs to cause illness or death in people, animals or plants.” The elements used to create these weapons are sometimes found in nature but scientists have found ways to alter and change their DNA and structure, making them highly indestructible and difficult to detect.

Bioterrorism has been around since 600 BC. There have been documented events and stories of countries trying to use multiple methods of this to kill or poison the opposing side. One of the most common methods was to put a rotting animal into a well to create botulism and sometimes the plague. When the one side would go to drink the water it would be infected and they would contract the disease. Under certain circumstances the disease would spread if somehow another person touched or drank from the same water before the problem was detected. In 1346 the Tartars caught the Plauge and after the initial segment of death passed they threw the corpses into the city of the other town and initiated an endemic of the Plague there as well. The Plague was the fastest spreading recorded bioterrorism recorded in the early 14th century. There are documented stories about countries in WW1 and WW2 who used these methods to weaken the defensive sides to gain territory.

Bioterrorism has multiple ways of spreading a few of the most common being, water, food, and physical contact. Like mentioned before they are hard to detect and can take days before symptoms begin to show. After the symptoms have showed themselves there a timeframe of 3-6 days to be treated or the chance of death raises to 60% more likely for one to die. The ways that we can battle the diseases that stem from this are by using Bio-defenses, which are antibiotics and medications specially formulated to combat each disease. These medications are based upon the three categories of Bioterrorisms that there are.

Category A: These are high priority and include organisms or toxins that pose the highest risk to public or national security. They spread easily , are transmittable, have high death rates and require special attention because of how fast they act.

Category B: Are the second highest priority. They don’t spread as easily as category A but can still spread with ease. There are low death rates but they require specially engineered medicines and treatments if one contracts a category B disease.

Category C: This category includes diseases that could be used for mass poisonings and are readily available. They are easily produced and spread like wild fire. They produce high morbidity and morality death rates.

The history and categories of Bioterrorism are interesting no doubt but what are some of these diseases that are used?

Anthrax is one of the most commonly used bioterrorist that we have in our modern times today. It is an infectious disease caused by bacteria in cattle, goats, sheep and pigs. There are three forms of Anthrax; cutaneous, pulmonary, and gastrointestinal. They can all be treated with antibiotics and is one of the highest diseases on the death list, with about 92% people dying after contracting it. The antibiotics used to treat this disease are ciprofloxacin or doxycycline.

Smallpox is the next most common and has the most potential to become an endemic in the public. It is considered to be a Category A “terrorist”, however in 1977 it was declared to be eliminated from the world. It can be recreated although in special labs in Europe and in the hands of the wrong person this disease has the potential to wipe out entire continents. It is spread through physical contact and the death rate is about 30%, in most recorded cases.

The Plague has not been eliminated from the world as we have not yet found a cure for it, making this disease another one of the most deadly bioterrorists in the world. It is caused by a bacteria named yersina pestis. Pestis means pests which is how this disease is carried and transferred from place to place.. through rodents. There are three types; Bubonic, Septicemic, and Pnuemonic. The Bubonic is the plague that is most recorded and has the highest death rate. Septicemic plague causes the dead tissue from toxins inside the abdomen to cause it to turn black. This is there The Plague is also know as the Black Death. When one contracts the Pneumonic plague , the symptoms are a lot like that of regular pneumonia. This has been treated with antibiotics such as, ciprofloxacin, Proguin XR, and Garamycin. Two other bioterrorists that are common are Typhus and Botulism which can both be treated through antibiotics and supervised hospital care, or antitoxins. Antitoxins fight whatever toxin there may be in the bloodstream or intestinal tracks.

While these diseases sound scary and terrifying there are steps you can do to make sure you are ready or prepared in case an outbreak ever occurs. You can go to CDC. Org and follow the steps listed below where you find the search bar. Bioterrorism doesn’t occur frequently but it is a threat that we need to be aware of and be ready for in case we ever encounter one.