How is a bioweapon spread?
Biological warfare agents are most likely to be dispersed as aerosols to be more easily spread amongst large populations. However, certain agents can be spread from person to person or by vectors, ingestion, direct contact, or other methods.
What causes biological attacks?
Biological warfare has evolved from the crude use of cadavers to contaminate water supplies to the development of specialized munitions. Scythian archers infected their arrows by dipping them in decomposing bodies or in blood mixed with manure as far back as 400 BC.
Is Ebola virus a biological weapon?
The filoviruses, Marburg and Ebola, are classified as Category A biowarfare agents by the Centers for Disease Control. Most known human infections with these viruses have been fatal, and no vaccines or effective therapies are currently available.
What are the world’s most deadly biological weapons?
Bioweapons such as Anthrax, Botulism and Variola have been studied as weapons, engineered and in some cases even deployed to devastating affect. Army-technology lists the world’s most deadly bio-weapons.
What are the biological weapons of biological warfare?
The former US biological warfare program categorized its weaponized anti-personnel bio-agents as either Lethal Agents (Bacillus anthracis, Francisella tularensis, Botulinum toxin) or Incapacitating Agents (Brucella suis, Coxiella burnetii, Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, Staphylococcal enterotoxin B).
What is anthrax classified as a biological weapon?
Bacillus anthracis bacteria, which causes anthrax, is one of the most deadly agents to be used as a biological weapon. It is classified by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a Category A agent, posing a significant risk to national security. The gram-positive, rod-shaped anthrax spores are found naturally in soil,
How do biological weapons spread disease?
Biological weapons are designed to spread disease among people, plants, and animals through the introduction of toxins and microorganisms such as viruses and bacteria. The method through which a biological weapon is deployed depends on the agent itself, its preparation, its durability, and the route of infection.