history of biological warfare

NBCWHISTORY OF BIOLOGICAL WARFARE

1100 BC:- Offensive use of flame. The book of Judges 15:4, states that Samson caught 300 foxes, attached firebrands to them and set them out among the fields of the Philistines to burn their crops.

EARLY BIOLOGICAL WARFARE

600 BC:-Solon, the legislator of the Athenians, contaminated the River Pleisthenes with hellebores (skunk cabbage) to give the defenders of Kirrha violent diarrhea leading to their defeat. This is the first recorded use of plants as a source of chemicals for warfare.

431-404 BC;- Peloponnesian War. The first recorded use of poisonous and suffocating gases. During the siege of the cities of Platea and Pelium, the Spartans used wood, saturated with pitch and sulfur, set afire to produce sulphur


saturated with pitch and sulfur, set afire to produce sulphur dioxide gas. A sudden rain made the first attack fail but five years later the same type of attack was a complete success.

200 BC;- A Carthaginian general ordered a retreat, leaving behind a large quantity of wine poisoned with mandragora, a root containing a narcotic. After the enemy soldiers drank the wine and fell asleep the Carthaginians returned and massacred them.

Romans – threw dead animals into the enemies water supplyEffect on the enemy

A weakened enemy is easier to


A weakened enemy is easier to conquerDemoralization of the enemy weakens their will to fight.

Plague of Justinian, 542-543 A.D.Killed nearly 70,000 people in Constantinople.At its peak, 10,000 people died each weak

Bubonic plague may have been the cause of the end of the Roman Empire

Siege of Kaffa, 1300’s.Invasion by the Tartars, brought the plague.Cadavers were catapulted over castle and fortress walls to demoralize the defenders.


walls to demoralize the defenders.Disease would spread within the enclosed walls.Cadavers were also placed up stream and the inhabitants of the fortress would drink the deadly, microorganism infested water.Inhabitants of Kaffa, fleeing in ships, spread the plague throughout Europe where nearly 1/3 of the population died.

French & Indian War, 1754-1763British act of good will gave blankets to the


British act of good will gave blankets to the American Indians.Blankets came from hospitals where they were originally used by smallpox victims.

1863 Vicksburg, MississippiDuring the Confederate retreat, General Johnston's Army filled ponds and lakes with bodies of dead livestock, poisoning the water supply and


of dead livestock, poisoning the water supply and slowing the advance of General Sherman's troops.Clostridium perfringens, Clostridium tetaniThis incident marked the first time Americans accepted this type of action as a legitimate wartime measure.

Begins around 1918Unit 731 (Army Epidemic Prevention Research Laboratory)

A special section of the Japanese army

MODERN BIOLOGICAL WARFARE

A special section of the Japanese armyExperimented with prisoners of war

1925 International agreement against use of “inhumane” weapons.1941, it is believed that Unit 731 spread bubonic plague in China, killing tens of thousands.

Western ResearchFearing Japanese and German BW research


German BW researchBritain tested Bacillus anthracis on Gruinard Island

1943, outbreak of anthrax in sheep on the coast of Scotland

US enters the BW program in 1942Japanese data1956 Soviet Union accuses US of using


1956 Soviet Union accuses US of using biological weapons in KoreaUS changes to defensive researchSecret tests with “surrogate biological agents”Test program shut down in 1969

The U.S. Army Med Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) conducts


(USAMRIID) conducts research to dev strat, products, info, procedures, and trg programs for med def against biological warfare threats and infectious diseases.

Soviet Union denied any research into BW wpn.In 1979, and explosion at a plant in Sverdlosk was fol by a massive outbreak of


Sverdlosk was fol by a massive outbreak of anthrax.1992 Boris Yeltsin declares that the govt is no longer doing BW research.The potential for dev recombinant biological warfare agents exist if not already dev.

TargetsHumans: soldiers, civilianCommercial animals


Commercial animalsCommercial plantsEnvironmental systems

Purpose: weaken, terrify or punish the enemy to a degree which induces them to comply with the attacker’s demands

A biological agent is a micro organismwhich causes disease in men, plants oranimals, or causes deterioration of matBiological warfare aims at reducing the tgt

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Biological warfare aims at reducing the tgtpop ability to wage war

This is achieved either by attk man dir orby attk his domestic animals, corps or sup

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• Biological warfare (BW) is the use of organisms that cause disease to harm or kill an adversary’s military forces, population, food or livestock.

– Living organic germs, like anthrax, are a major example of biological weapons.

BIOLOGICAL WARFARE

of biological weapons.– Byproducts of organisms, such as toxins. An example

is botulinum.

• Biological agents are much deadlier, pound for pound, than chemical agents. It has been estimated that 10 grams of anthrax could kill as many people as a ton of the nerve agent Sarin.

Biological Warfare AgentCategories

VirusesEbola, Hanta Virus, and Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis(VEE)

BacteriaBacteriaVibrio cholera, Yersinia pestis, Bacillus anthracis, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureusClostridium perfringens, C. botulinum, C. tetani

Biological Derived Bioactive SubstancesBotulinum and perfringens toxins

Genetically modified agents

Types of Agents Bacteria. They are small freeliving organisms, most of which maybe easily grown on solid or liquid


be easily grown on solid or liquidculture media. Viruses.The particles are submicroscopic in size. They require livingcells in which to multiply. Theyproduce diseases which do notrespond to antibiotics.

Rickettsia. These have characteristics commonto both bacteria and viruses.

Fungi. They may be treated as plants, whichdo not utilize photosynthesis, are capable ofanaerobic growth and draw nutrition from decaying


anaerobic growth and draw nutrition from decayingvegetable matter.

Toxins. Toxins are not micro organisms butmay be described as poisonous chemicals initiallyisolated from organic sources and some can be madesynthetically.

BIOLOGICAL AGENTS

Bacillus anthracis.Causes anthraxIf bacteria are inhaled, symptoms may develop in two to three daystwo to three daysInitial symptoms resembling common respiratory infection are followed by high fever, vomiting, joint ache and labored breathing, and internal and external bleeding lesionsExposure may be fatalVaccine and antibiotics provide protection unless exposure is very high

Botulinum toxinCause of botulism, produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteriaSymptoms appear 12 to 72 hours after

BIOLOGICAL AGENTS

Symptoms appear 12 to 72 hours after ingestion or inhalationInitial symptoms are nausea and diarrhea, followed by weakness, dizziness and respiratory paralysis, often leading to deathAntitoxin can sometimes arrest the process.

Botulinum toxin is a polypeptide (two peptide chains joined together by a disulfide bond).

Lethal doses are Lethal doses are estimated about 0.1 µg IV or IM. 0.8 µg inhaled, and 70 µg orally.

The toxin cleaves receptors needed by the neurotransmitter synaptic vesicle.

Yersinia pestisCauses bubonic plague, the Black Death of the Middle Ages

BIOLOGICAL AGENTS

the Middle AgesIf bacteria reach the lungs, symptoms--including fever and delirium--may appear in three or four daysUntreated cases are nearly always fatal. Vaccines can offer immunity, and antibiotics are usually effective if administered promptly

Ebola virusHighly contagious and lethalMay not be desirable as a biological agent because of uncertain stability outside of

BIOLOGICAL AGENTS

because of uncertain stability outside of animal hostSymptoms, appearing two or three days after exposure, include high fever, delirium, severe joint pain, bleeding from body orifices, and convulsions, followed by deathNo known treatment. Supportive therapy only.

Factors for Selecting Agents Be such that only few areneeded to initiate the disease –virulence.


virulence.

Have a relatively shortincubation period.

Be easy to produce and deliver.

Factors for Selecting Agents

Be unlikely to meet with widespreadimmunity, natural or acquired, among thetarget population.


target population.

Be easy to store while maintainingvirulence.

Routes of Entry Routes of entry are identicalto chemical agents:

Inhalation.


Inhalation.

Absorption.

Ingestion.

Sensitivity to Environment

Atmospheric Stability. All wind dispersedagents may be rapidly dispersed in unsuitableatmospheric conditions.


atmospheric conditions.

Wind Speed. High wind speed is likely tocarry an agent quickly past the target.

Sensitivity to Environment

Temp and Humidity. Live biologicalwarfare agents survive best in moderate temp andhigh humidity.


high humidity.

Sunlight. Most live agents are damaged orinactivated by exposure to ultra violet rays of sun.Attacks by live agents are therefore more likely at ni,with the appearance of light being used to limit thespread of attk.

Delivery

Biological agents can bedelivered as liquid droplets aerosol,


dry powder, insect vectors or byaddition to water or food sup. Mostlikely means are aerosol spray or bysmk generator or burst type ammo

Countries With or Suspect ofHaving BW Programs

China Taiwan North Korea

IranCuba Israel North Korea

Iraq (DNF)Syria Egypt

Israel former Soviet States USA Japan

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America’s Bioweapons Program in the 1950’s

The AnthraxBuilding, FortDetrick,Detrick,Maryland

Anthrax Vaccine

The vaccine is a cell-free filtrate, produced by a strain of anthrax that does not cause disease. The vaccine contains no whole bacteria, dead or alive.

The vaccine was developed in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s for humans and was licensed by the FDA in 1970.

Anthrax Vaccine

Since 1970, it has been safely and routinely administered to at-risk wool mill workers, veterinarians, laboratory workers, livestock handlers and Service Members in the workers, livestock handlers and Service Members in the United States.

The vaccine is manufactured by one company, the BioPort Corporation, formerly known as the Michigan Biologic Products Institute (MBPI).

Advantages of Biological Weapons

“The poor countries nuclear bomb”Estimated that a biological arsenal can be created in a single room requiring only a $10,000 investment in equipment and supplies.equipment and supplies.Certainly $100,000 will buy a country a major BW program

Easily camouflagedCultures readily hidden or destroyedLaboratories no different from medical research laboratories working on cures for diseases


Large quantities can be produced in a short period of time.Lower level of technical training Lower level of technical training requiredAccess to biological agents


In October 1992 Shoko Asahara, headof the Aum Shinrikyo cult, and 40followers traveled to Zaire, ostensiblyfollowers traveled to Zaire, ostensiblyto help treat Ebola victims. But thegroup's real intention, according to anOctober 31, 1995, report by the U.S.Senate's Permanent Subcommittee onInvestigations, was probably to obtainvirus samples, culture them and usethem in biological attacks.

Access

On May 5, 1995, six weeks after the Tokyo subway incident, Larry Harris, a laboratory technician in Ohio, ordered Yersinia pestisfrom the ATCCfrom the ATCCMember of a white supremacist organizationAuthorities alerted when Harris impatiently inquired about his order.Currently, the CDC is charged with monitoring shipments of infectious agents.

Biggest Advantage

Killing efficiencyDepending on the toxin, approximately 1 gram can kill 10 million people.Botulinum toxin is 3 million times more potent Botulinum toxin is 3 million times more potent than Sarin.

Cost effectivenessTo affect 1 sq. km would cost approximately $2000 using conventional weapons, $800 using nuclear weapons, $600 using chemical weapons, and $1.00 using biologics.

Self perpetuating

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Actions During an Attack

If threat forces attack with biological agents, theremay be little or no warning. This will depend on theIPB assessment. We cannot detect or identifybiological agents with our currently fielded detectorbiological agents with our currently fielded detectorkits and systems.

Soldiers in a unit automatically mask when there arehigh probability indicators of an attack to protectthemselves against contamination.

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Biological Attack Indicators

Biological agents may be disseminated asaerosols, liquid droplets or dry powder.

Biological attack indicators fall into two groupsto indicate a high probability or possible attack.

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Attacks with biological agents will be very subtle iffavorable weather conditions prevail. Symptoms canappear from minutes to days after an attack has occurred.

Indicators may be the following:

Mysterious illness-many soldiers and civilians sick forMysterious illness-many soldiers and civilians sick forunknown reasons.

Large numbers of insects or unusual insects.Large numbers of dead wild and domestic animals.Mass casualties with flu-like symptoms, fever, sore

throats, skin rash, mental abnormalities, pneumonia,diarrheas, dysentery, hemorrhaging or jaundice.

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Indicators of a possible biological attack are any ofthe following:

Artillery shells with less powerful explosions thanHE rounds.

Aerial bombs that pop rather than explode.Aerial bombs that pop rather than explode.Mist or fog sprayed by aircraft or aerosol

generators.Unexploded bomblets found in the area.

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Imm Act

Putting on the protective mask and keeping the

clothing buttoned up protects adequately against

living biological agents.

An agent can gain entry through clothing using two

routes: one, openings such as button holes, zipped

areas, stitching, and poor sealing at ankles, wrist, and

neck and two, through minute pores in the fabric of

clothing.

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Immediate Actions

Putting on one's protective ensemble greatly

increases the protection level of the individual soldier.

Toxins, however, require the same amount of

protection as liquid chemical agents.

Since no rapid-warning, biological agent detection

device is fielded, consider any known agent cloud as a

chemical attack, and take the same actions prescribed

for a chemical attack.

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For collective protection, personnel must be housed insidea shelter with an efficient air filter system. Many buildings canbe converted into temporary shelters if cracks are carefullysealed and a filter system with a ventilating mechanism isinstalled.installed.

It must be emphasized that in order to counter a biologicalattack, protective measures must be initiated before an attack.The use of the NBCWRS is ' an effective and establishedmeans for giving advanced warning, along with intelligencedata provided by the intelligence community

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Actions After an Attack

It is necessary to isolate soldiers showing symptoms ofdisease. This isolation helps prevent possible spread to othersif the disease is communicable.

It is also necessary to limit the number of personnel It is also necessary to limit the number of personnelproviding care to these casualties.

Treatment of live biological agent or toxin casualtiesrequires medical assistance as soon as possible.

An indication of a live biological agent attack is a largenumber of soldiers and civilians with unexplained illness overa short period.

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The threat also has a wide variety of toxins.These can be dispensed alone or with othercarriers or agents.

Symptoms associated with some toxinsSymptoms associated with some toxinsmimic other illness or chemical casualtysymptoms.

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Toxin symptoms may include any of the following:

Dizziness, mental confusion, or double or blurred vision. Tingling of skin, numbness, paralysis, or convulsions. Formation of rashes or blisters. Coughing. Fever, aching muscles, and fatigue. Difficulty in swallowing. Fever, aching muscles, and fatigue. Difficulty in swallowing. Nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea. Bleeding from body openings or blood in urine, stool, or sputum (spit). Shock.

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BIOLOGICAL BOMB

history of biological warfare

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