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Anthrax, plague, and tularemia, are all bacterial agents; they can be treated with antibiotics. Botulinum is a toxin, and cannot be treated with antibiotics. Smallpox and viral hemorrhagic fevers (Ebola, etc.) are viral infections – of course these cannot be treated with antibiotics either – and can potentially pose the greatest threat as biological weapons. (Source)
Anthrax can be distributed as an aerosol, and is thus very dangerous. However, smallpox is perhaps the most feared bioweapon, due to its deadly history; it is very hard to transmit through the air, however.
Anthrax | Botulinum | Plague | Smallpox | Tularemia | Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers
Anthrax (Inhalation Form) |
| Type: |
Bacteria |
| Source: |
Occurs naturally in animals in agricultural areas
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| Form of Attack: |
The spore form of anthrax can be dried and refined into a powder that can be inhaled, although it may be difficult to spread it throughout a large airspace
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| Communicability: |
Not known to spread between humans
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| Symptoms: |
"Initial symptoms may resemble a common cold. After several days, the symptoms may progress to severe breathing problems and shock. Inhalation anthrax is usually fatal." (www.cdc.gov)
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| Treatment: |
There is a vaccine against anthrax that is 93% effective. Also, antibiotics may get rid of the disease if given early enough |
Botulinum (Foodborne) |
| Type: |
Toxin |
| Source: |
Naturally occurring – the U.S. averages 110 cases of botulism a year – an average of 25% of these cases are foodborne
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| Form of Attack: |
Alarmingly dangerous if spread throughout a food supply. Ingesting a few nanograms of this toxin can cause illness |
| Communicability: |
Toxins are not communicable |
| Symptoms: |
"Onset of symptoms in foodborne botulism is usually 18 to 36 hours after ingestion of the food containing the toxin, although cases have varied from 4 hours to 8 days. Early signs of intoxication consist of marked lassitude, weakness and vertigo, usually followed by double vision and progressive difficulty in speaking and swallowing. Difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distention, and constipation may also be common symptoms." (http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov) |
| Treatment: |
An anti-toxin must be administered very soon after the toxin enters the body |
Plague (Pneumonic) |
| Type: |
Bacterial
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| Source: |
Naturally occurring – WHO reports 1,000 to 3,000 cases per year throughout the world
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| Form of Attack: |
Pneumonic plague could be spread through an aerosol attack; due to the slow appearance of symptoms, human carriers could spread the plague over a large area before it might be detected
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| Communicability: |
Highly contagious, transferred through respiratory droplets, among other means
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| Symptoms: |
"Patients usually have fever, weakness, and rapidly developing pneumonia with shortness of breath, chest pain, cough, and sometimes bloody or watery sputum. Nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain may also occur. Without early treatment, pneumonic plague usually leads to respiratory failure, shock, and rapid death." (www.cdc.gov)
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| Treatment: |
Antibiotics should be administered within 24 hours of the appearance of symptoms |
Smallpox |
| Type: |
Viral
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| Source: |
Supposedly eradicated
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| Form of Attack: |
Smallpox is typically spread through direct contact with infected objects, or with body fluids; infected objects might be distributed to individuals. There is also some concern that an aerosol attack may be possible. Stores of the virus, held by the U.S.S.R. government before its collapse, have disappeared, so access to the virus by malicious groups or governments may be possible
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| Communicability: |
Spread from human to human by prolonged face-to-face contact or contact with body fluids
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| Symptoms: |
"The symptoms of smallpox begin with high fever, head and body aches, and sometimes vomiting. A rash follows that spreads and progresses to raised bumps and pus-filled blisters that crust, scab, and fall off after about three weeks, leaving a pitted scar." (www.cdc.gov)
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| Treatment: |
There has been a vaccine for smallpox for some time, which is why it was eventually eradicated from natural occurrences. Once contracted, there is no cure, but death usually only occurs about 30% of the time. |
Tularemia |
| Type: |
Bacterial
|
| Source: |
Naturally occurring – widespread in animals – average of 200 cases in U.S. per year
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| Form of Attack: |
Tularemia is highly infectious – it might only take between 10 and 50 individual bacterium to infect an individual – and it might be spread easily in an aerosol attack
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| Communicability: |
Not contagious
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| Symptoms: |
"If the bacteria are inhaled, symptoms can include abrupt onset of fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, joint pain, dry cough, and progressive weakness. People with pneumonia can develop chest pain, difficulty breathing, bloody sputum, and respiratory failure." (www.cdc.gov)
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| Treatment: |
Antibiotics may get rid of the disease if given early enough |
Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (including Ebola, Marburg, and Lassa) |
| Type: |
Viral
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| Source: |
Naturally occurring – usually found in monkeys in African jungles
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| Form of Attack: |
Methods for causing an attack might include transmitting objects that have come into contact with contaminated fluids
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| Communicability: |
Spread from human to human by body fluids
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| Symptoms: |
"Specific signs and symptoms vary by the type of VHF, but initial signs and symptoms often include marked fever, fatigue, dizziness, muscle aches, loss of strength, and exhaustion. Patients with severe cases of VHF often show signs of bleeding under the skin, in internal organs, or from body orifices like the mouth, eyes, or ears. However, although they may bleed from many sites around the body, patients rarely die because of blood loss. Severely ill patient cases may also show shock, nervous system malfunction, coma, delirium, and seizures. Some types of VHF are associated with renal (kidney) failure." (www.cdc.gov)
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| Treatment: |
While there is supportive therapy for an infected individual, there is no cure for these viruses |
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