 Bacteria
Viruses
Rickettsiae
Chlamydia
Fungi
Toxins
Biological agents which may be used as weapons
can fall into the following categories:
Bacteria
Bacteria are small free-living organisms, most
of which may be grown on solid or liquid culture media. The
organisms have a structure consisting of nuclear material,
cytoplasm, and cell membrane. They reproduce by simple division.
The diseases they produce often respond to specific therapy with
antibiotics.
Viruses
Viruses are organisms which require living
cells in which to replicate. They are therefore intimately
dependent upon the cells of the host which they infect. They
produce diseases which generally do not respond to antibiotics
but which may be responsive to antiviral compounds, of which
there are few available, and those that are available are of
limited use.
Rickettsiae
Rickettsiae are microorganisms which have
characteristics common to both bacteria and viruses. Like
bacteria, they possess metabolic enzymes and cell membranes,
utilize oxygen, and are susceptible to broad spectrum
antibiotics. They resemble viruses in that they grow only within
living cells.
Chlamydia
Chlamydia are obligatory intracellular
parasites incapable of generating their own energy source. Like
bacteria, they are responsive to broad-spectrum antibiotics.
Like viruses, they require living cells for multiplication.
Fungi
Fungi are primitive plants which do not
utilize photosynthesis, are capable of anaerobic growth, and
draw nutrition from decaying vegetable matter. Most fungi form
spores, and free-living forms are found in soil. The spore forms
of fungi are operationally significant. Fungal diseases may
respond to various antimicrobial.
Toxins
Toxins are poisonous substances produced and
derived from living plants, animals, or microorganisms; some
toxins may also be produced or altered by chemical means. Toxins
may be countered by specific antisera and selected pharmacologic
agents.
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Links
Biological
Warfare and It's Cutaneous Manifestations
Biological
Warfare/Infectious Diseases References
Microbiology
101: Biological Weapons and Malignant Biology: An Internet Text
Bacteriological
Warfare...A Civil Defense Manual
Personal
Protection & Chem/Bio Terrorism
History
of Biological Warfare
Historical
Aspects of Biological Warfare Agents
Defending
Against Invisible Killers -- Biological Agents
Chemical
and Bio Weapons-Could It Happen Here?
Weapons
of Mass Destruction in the Middle East
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