Bioterrorism

Although biological agents have been used in warfare for centuries, several events in the past decade have raised concerns that they could be used for terrorism. Revelations about the sophisticated biological-weapons programs of the former Soviet Union and Iraq have heightened concern that countries with offensive-research programs, including those that sponsor internation al terrorism, might assist in the proliferation of agents, culturing capabi lity, and dissemination techniques, and might benefit in these undertakings from the availability of skilled laboratory technicians. Release of sarin nerve agent in the Tokyo subway system in 1995 by the Aum Shinrikyo cult de monstrated that in the future terrorists might select unconventional weapon s. Certain properties of biological pathogens may make them the ideal terro rist weapon, including 1) ease of procurement, 2) simplicity of production in large quantities at minimal expense, 3) ease of dissemination with low t echnology, and 4) potential to overwhelm the medical system with large numb ers of casualties. Dissemination of a biological agent would be silent, and the incubation period allows a perpetrator to escape to great distances fr om the area of release before the first ill persons seek medical care. Coun termeasures include intelligence gathering, physical protection, and detect ion systems. Medical countermeasures include laboratory diagnostics, vaccin es, and medications for prophylaxis and treatment. Public health, medical, and environmental health personnel need to have a heightened awareness, thr ough education, about the threat from biological agents.