Which biological agent is a virus?
Which biological agent is a virus?
Viral bio-agents
| Disease | Causative Agent (Military Symbol) |
|---|---|
| Japanese B encephalitis | Japanese encephalitis virus (AN) |
| Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever (Marburg HF) | Marburg Virus (MARV) |
| Rift Valley fever | Rift Valley fever virus (FA) |
| Smallpox | Variola virus (ZL) |
What are the 6 biological agents?
Biological agents that have been identified as posing the greatest threat are variola major (smallpox), Bacillus anthracis (anthrax), Yersinia pestis (plague), Clostridium botulinum toxin (botulism), Francisella tularensis (tularaemia), filoviruses (Ebola hemorrrhagic fever and Marburg hemorrhagic fever), and …
What is the most effective portal of entry for biological warfare?
Cutaneous exposure provides the least potential for significant morbidity and mortality, since intact skin provides an excellent barrier against most of these agents except mycotoxins. However, mucous membranes, abrasions, or other lesions may provide a portal of entry for bacteria, viruses, or toxins.
What are warfare agents?
Chemical warfare agents (CWA’s) are defined as any chemical substance whose toxic properties are utilised to kill, injure or incapacitate an enemy in warfare and associated military operations. Chemical agents have been used in war since times immemorial, but their use reached a peak during World War I.
How can you protect against biological warfare?
Available protective equipment include respiratory protective devices, full face protective masks and surgical masks for respiratory protection, battle dress overgarments, protective gloves and overboots for skin protection. Full protection is needed when the agent has not been identified.
Who first used biological warfare?
One of the first recorded uses of biological warfare occurred in 1347, when Mongol forces are reported to have catapulted plague-infested bodies over the walls into the Black Sea port of Caffa (now Feodosiya, Ukraine), at that time a Genoese trade centre in the Crimean Peninsula.
What are the 3 bioterrorism threat levels?
The biological weapons as per the CDC classification are classified into three categories, Category A, B and C, as given in Table 1, based on the priority of the agents to pose a risk to the national security and the ease with which they can be disseminated [7].
Are biological toxins infectious?
Compared to pathogens, biological toxins are also classified as bioterrorism factors, they are not infectious and do not replicate [7,8,9]. Toxins are significant in the health, food and in the security sector.
Does the US have biological weapons?
The United States had an offensive biological weapons program from 1943 until 1969. Today, the nation is a member of the Biological Weapons Convention and has renounced biological warfare.
What are the four types of chemical warfare agents?
There are four basic types of military agents that can be used for chemical terrorism: choking agents (chlorine, phosgene), blister agents (mustard, Lewisite, phosgene oxime), blood agents (cyanide, hydrogen cyanide) and nerve agents (tabun, sarin, soman, VX).
Is there such a thing as biological warfare?
Of course, biological warfare does encompass such activity, but the vast majority of what constitutes biological warfare is far more mundane. Ever since life evolved on earth about 3.8 billion years ago, organisms have constantly devised new ways to kill each other.
When was the biological warfare programme in the UK cancelled?
The plan was set to launch on 22 September 1945, but it was not executed because of Japan’s surrender on 15 August 1945. In Britain, the 1950s saw the weaponization of plague, brucellosis, tularemia and later equine encephalomyelitis and vaccinia viruses, but the programme was unilaterally cancelled in 1956.
Who is the author of biological warfare and bioterrorism?
Biological warfare and bioterrorism: a historical review Stefan Riedel, MD, PhD1 Stefan Riedel 1From the Department of Pathology, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas. Find articles by Stefan Riedel Author informationCopyright and License informationDisclaimer
How are biological weapons used to 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.
