An Overview Of Possible Biological Agents That Could Be Used In An Attack And Their Effects:

An Overview Of Possible Biological Agents That Could Be Used In An Attack And Their Effects: Related Information:

Biological agents used in attacks are of major concern to authorities for a variety of reason. Firstly, these agents can be transmitted easily between people and can result in high numbers of deaths. They can be the cause of widespread panic and the effects can spiral quickly out of control.

Below you will find a selection of biological agents and the effects they can have when used in an attack:

Anthrax:

Anthrax commonly affects hoofed animals and can also affect humans who come in to contact with it. In powdered form it can be used as a biological weapon, bringing with it a trail of illness and death. Inhalation anthrax is where quantities of the powdered form of this agent are breathed in, and symptoms can include vomiting, fever, abdominal pain, skin lesions, diarrhoea, and ultimately death.

Botulism:

Botulism is highly toxic and can be used as a weapon by contaminating the air. This would result in inhalation botulism, where quantities of this agent are inhaled by people. The effects of inhalation botulism include blurred vision, swallowing difficulty, respiratory failure, paralysis, and muscle weakness.

Plague:

Plague has, over recent years, been developed as a biological warfare agent by a number of countries. The effects of exposure to plague can include swollen glands, fever, exhaustion, headaches, breathing difficulty, coughing up blood and death.

Smallpox:

Smallpox is another infectious disease that could be employed as part of a bio-terrorist attack, and this can cause death in 30% of cases. This disease is highly infectious and could quickly spiral out of control. The effects of smallpox include fever, headaches, rash and skin lesions, backache and fatigue.

Tularemia:

Tularemia is an organism that has been harnessed by some countries to form biological weapons. This can be used on aerosol form to contaminate the environment. The effects of this organism include ulcers, swollen glands, fever, abdominal pains, vomiting and nausea, diarrhoea, weight loss, headaches, fatigue, chills, pneumonia and possible death.

Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers:

Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers have been used to develop biological weapons in some countries. Some of the effects of these agents include fever, muscle weakness, fatigue, dizziness, bleeding under the skin, bleeding of internal organs, bleeding from external orifices, shock, nervous system abnormalities, coma, seizures, and kidney failure.

Cholera:

Cholera is not easily transmitted between people, and the lost likely bio-terrorist contamination would be via drinking water reservoirs. The effects of cholera can include diarrhoea, vomiting, cramps, dehydration, shock and possible death.

Brucellosis:

Brucellosis has already been harness for use in biological weapons by the former Soviet Union and can linger in the environment for a couple of years. Contamination through an aerosol form would be the most likely bio-terrorist route. Effects of this agent can include fever, sweats, fatigue, weight loss, joint pains and headaches.

Ricin:

Ricin has already been used in biological warfare, and routes taken by bio-terrorists can include the contamination of water supplies and food or the contamination of air through aerosol form. This is a protein toxin and is derived from castor beans. The effects of this toxin can include breathing difficulty, cough, nausea, sweating, low blood pressure, blue tinge to the skin, respiratory failure, circulatory failure, and death.