primary goal through the spread of biological agents (toxins, viruses, bacteria or germs). As with other forms of terrorism, it uses violence to advance an ideological, religious, or political cause or impose a feeling of fear among the public. In contrast to other forms of terrorism, it uses the release of biological agents on people, animals or plants as a medium of violence.
Bioterrorism Agents
Bioterrorism agents are usually found in nature but the possibility exists to change them to make them more devastating. These changes could include alterations to make agents more contagious, harder to treat or easier to spread to their target. Most agents must be inhaled, enter through an open wound or be consumed to have an effect on the target. Some agents, such as anthrax, cannot be transmitted from one person to another. Others, such as the smallpox virus, are easily spread from human to human. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has categorized bioterrorism agents based on their priority to public safety.
Category A Agents
These are the highest risk to the public’s safety and are the CDC’s priority for preparation. These agents are highly contagious and would result in high death rates.
Anthrax
Category B AgentsThese agents are the CDC’s second highest priority. Although they are moderately easy to spread they would have moderate illness rates and low mortality.
Brucellosis
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Category C Agents
These agents are the CDC’s third highest priority. They include future engineered agents that would be easy to produce and spread while having high mortality rates.
These agents are the CDC’s third highest priority. They include future engineered agents that would be easy to produce and spread while having high mortality rates.
Drug Resistant Tuberculosis
2001 Anthrax Attacks
A recent example of bioterrorism would be the 2001 anthrax attacks against the United States. Over the span of several months there were 7 confirmed findings of a category A agent, anthrax, in US postal letters. The recipients of these letters included members of the US senate and prominent news organizations. More than 22 US citizens were infected and of them 5 died. In the end, the letters achieved their overall goal of imposing fear among the American populace.
An anthrax filled envelope
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