This article is about harmful biological agents. For therapeutic biological drugs, see biopharmaceutical.
A culture of
Bacillus anthracis, the anthrax bacillus.
A biological agent—also called bio-agent, biological threat agent, biological warfare agent, biological weapon, or bioweapon—is a bacterium, virus, protozoan, parasite, or fungus that can be used purposefully as a weapon in bioterrorism or biological warfare (BW).[1] In addition to these living and/or replicating pathogens, biological toxins are also included among the bio-agents. More than 1,200 different kinds of potentially weaponizable bio-agents have been described and studied to date.
Biological agents have the ability to adversely affect human health in a variety of ways, ranging from relatively mild allergic reactions to serious medical conditions, including death. Many of these organisms are ubiquitous in the natural environment where they are found in water, soil, plants, or animals.[2] Bio-agents may be amenable to "weaponization" to render them easier to deploy or disseminate. Genetic modification may enhance their incapacitating or lethal properties, or render them impervious to conventional treatments or preventives. Since many bio-agents reproduce rapidly and require minimal resources for propagation, they are also a potential danger in a wide variety of occupational settings.[3]
The Biological Weapons Convention (1972) is an international treaty banning the use or stockpiling of bio-agents; it currently has 165 state signatories. Bio-agents are, however, widely studied for defensive purposes under various biosafety levels and within biocontainment facilities throughout the world. In 2008, according to a U.S. Congressional Research Service report, China, Cuba, Egypt, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Russia, Syria, and Taiwan were considered, with varying degrees of certainty, to be maintaining bio-agents in an offensive BW program capacity.
Contents
- 1 Classifications
- 1.1 Operational
- 1.2 Legal
- 1.3 Regulatory
- 2 List of biological and toxin agents of military importance
- 2.1 Bacterial bio-agents
- 2.2 Chlamydial bio-agents
- 2.3 Rickettsial bio-agents
- 2.4 Viral bio-agents
- 2.5 Mycotic bio-agents
- 2.6 Biological toxins
- 2.7 Biological vectors
- 2.8 Simulants
- 3 In popular culture
- 4 See also
- 5 External links
- 6 References
Classifications
Operational
The former US biological warfare program (1943-1969) categorized its weaponized anti-personnel bio-agents as either Lethal Agents (Bacillus anthracis, Francisella tularensis, Botulinum toxin) or Incapacitating Agents (Brucella suis, Coxiella burnetii, Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, Staphylococcal enterotoxin B).[4] In the next section ("List of biological and toxin agents of military importance") the military symbols for various weaponized agents are given; this nomenclature system began in the US and UK BW programs of World War II and continued as NATO nomenclature through the Cold War.
Legal
Since 1997, United States law has declared a list of bio-agents designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or the U.S. Department of Agriculture that have the "potential to pose a severe threat to public health and safety" to be officially defined as "select agents" and possession or transportation of them are tightly controlled as such.[5] Select agents are divided into "HHS select agents and toxins", "USDA select agents and toxins" and "Overlap select agents and toxins".
Regulatory
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) breaks biological agents into three categories: Category A, Category B, and Category C. Category A agents pose the greatest threat to the U.S. Criteria for being a Category A agent include high rates of morbidity and mortality; ease of dissemination and communicability; ability to cause public panic; and special action required by public health officials to respond. Category A agents include anthrax, botulism, plague, smallpox, tularemia, and viral hemorrhagic fevers.
List of biological and toxin agents of military importance
Bacterial bio-agents
Disease |
Causative Agent (Military Symbol) |
Comments |
Anthrax |
Bacillus anthracis (N or TR) |
|
Brucellosis (bovine) |
Brucella abortus |
|
Brucellosis (caprine) |
Brucella melitensis (AM or BX) |
|
Brucellosis (porcine) |
Brucella suis (US, AB or NX) |
|
Cholera |
Vibrio cholerae (HO) |
|
Diphtheria |
Corynebacterium diphtheriae (DK) |
|
Dysentery (bacterial) |
Shigella dysenteriae, some species of Escherichia coli (Y) |
|
Glanders |
Burkholderia mallei (LA) |
|
Listeriosis |
Listeria monocytogenes (TQ) |
|
Melioidosis |
Burkholderia pseudomallei (HI) |
|
Plague |
Yersinia pestis (LE) |
|
Tularemia |
Francisella tularensis (SR or JT) |
|
Chlamydial bio-agents
Disease |
Causative Agent (Military Symbol) |
Comments |
Psittacosis |
Chlamydophila psittaci (SI) |
|
Rickettsial bio-agents
Disease |
Causative Agent (Military Symbol) |
Comments |
Q fever |
Coxiella burnetii (OU) |
|
Rocky Mountain spotted fever |
Rickettsia rickettsii (RI or UY) |
|
Typhus (human) |
Rickettsia prowazekii (YE) |
|
Typhus (murine) |
Rickettsia typhi (AV) |
|
Viral bio-agents
Disease |
Causative Agent (Military Symbol) |
Comments |
Equine Encephalitis (Eastern) |
Eastern equine encephalitis virus (ZX) |
|
Equine Encephalitis (Venezuelan) |
Venezuelan Equine Encephalomyelitis virus (FX) |
|
Equine Encephalitis (Western) |
Western equine encephalitis virus (EV) |
|
Japanese B encephalitis |
Japanese encephalitis virus (AN) |
|
Rift Valley fever |
Rift Valley fever virus (FA) |
|
Smallpox |
Variola virus (ZL) |
|
Yellow fever |
Yellow fever virus (OJ or LU) |
|
Mycotic bio-agents
Disease |
Causative Agent (Military Symbol) |
Comments |
Coccidiomycosis |
Coccidioides immitis (OC) |
|
Biological toxins
Toxin |
Source of Toxin (Military Symbol) |
Comments |
Botulinum toxins (A through G) |
Clostridium botulinum bacteria or spores, and several other Clostridial species. (X or XR) |
|
Ricin |
Castor bean (Ricinus communis) (W or WA) |
|
Saxitoxin |
Various marine and brackish cyanobacteria, such as Anabaena, Aphanizomenon, Lyngbya, and Cylindrospermopsis (TZ) |
|
Staphyloccocal enterotoxin B |
Staphylococcus aureus (UC or PG) |
|
Tetrodotoxin |
Various marine bacteria, including Vibrio alginolyticus, Pseudoalteromonas tetraodonis (PP) |
|
Trichothecene mycotoxins |
Various species of fungi, including Fusarium, Trichoderma, and Stachybotrys |
|
Biological vectors
Vector (Military Symbol) |
Disease |
Comments |
Mosquito (Aedes aegypti) (AP) |
Malaria, Dengue fever, Chikungunya, Yellow fever, other Arboviruses |
|
Oriental rat flea (Xenopsylla cheopis) |
Plague, Murine typhus |
|
Simulants
- MR - molasis residium
- BG - Bacillus globigii
- BS - Bacillus globigii
- U - Bacillus globigii
- SM - Serratia marcescens
- P - Serratia marcescens
- AF - Aspergillus fumigatus mutant C-2
- EC - E. coli
- BT - Bacillus thuringiensis
- EH - Erwinia hebicola
- FP - fluorescent particle
In popular culture
Main article: Biological warfare in popular culture
See also
- Biological hazard
- Biological contamination
- Laboratory Response Network
- Pulsed ultraviolet light
- Toxin
External links
- U.S. Department of Labor - Biological Agents
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Select Agents and Toxins
References
- ^ "Biological Agents". United States Department of Labor: OSHA. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
- ^ "Biological Agents". United States Department of Labor: OSHA. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
- ^ "Biological Agents". United States Department of Labor: OSHA. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
- ^ Headquarters, Departments of the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force, and Commandant , Marine Corps (17 July 2000), Field Manual: Treatment of Biological Warfare Casualties (Army FM 8-284/Navy NAVMED P-5042/Air Force AFMAN (I) 44-156/Marine Corps MCRP 4-11.1C), para 1-4 (pg 1-3).
- ^ Additional Requirements for Facilities Transferring or Receiving Select Agents, Title 42 CFR Part 72 and Appendix A; 15 April 1997 (DHHS).
Biological warfare and Bioterrorism
|
|
Modern incidents |
- 1984 Rajneeshee bioterror attack
- 1989 California medfly attack
- 2001 anthrax attacks
- Wood Green ricin plot
- 2003 ricin letters
- 2013 ricin letters
|
|
Prevention
and response |
- Australia Group
- Center for Biosecurity
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism
- Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
- Defense Threat Reduction Agency
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
- Global Health Security Initiative
- Health Threat Unit
- Laboratory Response Network
- National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center
- National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases
|
|
Biological agents |
- Anthrax
- Avian influenza
- Botulinum toxin
- Brucellosis
- Burkholderia pseudomallei
- Chlamydophila psittaci
- Coxiella burnetii
- Ebola
- Equine encephalitis (Eastern
- Western
- Venezuelan)
- Foodborne illness
- Fungi
- Glanders
- Hantavirus
- Henipavirus
- Legionnaires' disease
- Marburg virus
- Mold
- Plague
- Ricin
- Salmonella enterica
- Salmonellosis
- Salmonella typhi
- Smallpox
- Staphylococcus
- Tularemia
- Typhus
- Viral hemorrhagic fever
|
|
Related concepts |
- Agro-terrorism
- Anthrax hoaxes
- Psychochemical weapons
- Bacteria
- Biocontainment
- Biological hazard
- Biological warfare in popular culture
- Decontamination
- Entomological warfare
- Infectious disease
- Virus
- Toxin
- Terrorism
|
|
- Biological warfare portal
- Wiktionary definition
- Wikimedia Commons
- Wikisource
|
|
Global catastrophic risks
|
|
Technological |
- Kinetic bombardment
- Mutual assured destruction
- Synthetic intelligence
- Technological singularity
- Transhumanism
|
|
Sociological |
- Alien invasion
- Malthusian catastrophe
- New World Order (conspiracy theory)
- Nuclear holocaust
- Societal collapse
- World War III
|
|
Ecological |
- Climate change
- Ecocide
- Human impact on the environment
- Cascade effect
- Future of the Earth
- Overexploitation
- Overpopulation
|
|
Biological |
- Dysgenics
- Extinction
- Human extinction
- Genetic erosion
- Genetic pollution
- Pandemic
- Transhumanism
|
|
Physical |
- Big Crunch
- Big Rip
- Coronal mass ejection
- Earth Changes
- Extinction risk from global warming
- Gamma-ray burst
- Grey goo
- Ultimate fate of the universe
|
|
Belief |
- 2012 phenomenon
- Armageddon
- Eschatology
- Buddhist
- Christian
- Hindu
- Islamic
- Jewish
- Norse
- Zoroastrian
- Apocalypse
- End time
- Last Judgment
- List of dates predicted for apocalyptic events
|
|
Fiction |
- List of apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
|
|
-
- Apocalypticism
- Future problems
- Hazards
- Risk analysis
|
|
United States biological defense program
|
|
Organizations |
Federal
administrative |
DHS |
- DHS Chemical and Biological Defense Division
- DHS Office of Health Affairs (National Biosurvelliance Integration Center, BioWatch)
- National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center
- National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility
- National Bioforensic Analysis Center
|
|
DNI |
- National Counterproliferation Center (Advisory Committee on Bioterrorism)
|
|
DHHS |
- Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response
- Division of Select Agents and Toxins (CDC)
- National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity
|
|
DoD |
- Assistant SECDEF for NCB Defense Programs
- Defense Threat Reduction Agency
- Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System
- Joint Program Executive Office of Chemical and Biological Defense (JPEO-CBD)
- National Center for Medical Intelligence
|
|
|
Federal
research |
Trans-
departmental |
- National Interagency Confederation for Biological Research (National Integrated Biodefense Campus, Fort Detrick)
- Integrated National Biodefense Medical Countermeasures Portfolio (DHHS/DoD)
|
|
Military |
- U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases
- Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
- Edgewood Chemical Biological Center
- Dugway Proving Ground
|
|
Civilian |
- Galveston National Laboratory (UTMB/NIAID)
- Integrated Research Facility (HHS/NIAID)
- Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (HHS)
- Homeland Security Research Program (EPA/DHS)
- Plum Island Animal Disease Center (USDA)
- Foreign Disease Weed Science Research Unit (USDA)
|
|
|
Response |
Local |
|
|
State |
- State Health Departments
- Nebraska Biocontainment Patient Care Unit
|
|
Federal |
- National Medical Response Team/National Pharmacy Response Team (NDMS, HHS)
- Chemical Biological Incident Response Force (USMC)
- Epidemic Intelligence Service (CDC)
- Aeromedical Biological Containment System (CDC)
- Bioterror Rapid Response and Advanced Technology Laboratory (CDC)
|
|
|
Non-
governmental |
Academic centers
& think tanks |
- UPMC Center for Health Security (formerly Center for Biosecurity)
- Henry L. Stimson Center
- Center for Advancing Microbial Risk Assessment
- Center for Biodefense and Emerging Pathogens (Brown University)
- Middle-Atlantic Regional Center of Excellence for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases Research
- Center for Biodefense Immune Modeling (University of Rochester)
- Johns Hopkins Center for Civilian Biodefense Strategies
- National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases (NCBID; George Mason Univ.)
|
|
Government
contractors |
- Battelle Memorial Institute
- SRI International
- Idaho Technology
- Phoenix Air
|
|
|
|
Programs
& projects |
Threat reduction |
- Nunn–Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Program, including the Cooperative Biological Engagement Program (DoD)
- Project Bacchus
- Project Clear Vision
- Project Jefferson
|
|
Biosurveillance |
- Laboratory Response Network (CDC)
- BioWatch (EPA, CDC)
- Global Bio-Surveillance Technology Initiative (GBTI), Bio-Surveillance Management Office (BMO) (part of JPEO-CBD)
- ESSENCE (DoD)
- RODS (Civilian)
|
|
Biosecurity/Biosurety |
- Select Agent Program (CDC)
- Personnel Reliability Program (DoD)
|
|
Medical intelligence |
- National Intelligence Assessments on Infectious Diseases
|
|
Disaster response |
- National Response Framework of the National Strategy for Homeland Security (DHS; including NIMS & ICS)
- National Disaster Medical System (DHHS)
- Strategic National Stockpile (CDC, DHS)
|
|
|
Technology
& equipment |
Protection |
- MOPP
- NBC suit
- Respirators
|
|
Detection |
- Cell CANARY
- Biological Materials MASINT
- Autonomous Pathogen Detection System
- Joint Biological Agent Identification and Diagnostic System (JBAIDS)
|
|
Biocontainment |
- Biosafety level
- Biosafety cabinet
- Positive pressure personnel suit
|
|
|
Law |
Treaties |
- Geneva Protocol (1925, 1975)
- Statement on Chemical and Biological Defense Policies and Programs (1969)
- Biological Weapons Convention (1972)
|
|
Legislation |
- Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act of 1989
- Executive Order 13139 (1999)
- Patriot Act (2001)
- Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness Response Act (2002)
- Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002
- Project Bioshield Act (2004)
- Biodefense and Pandemic Vaccine and Drug Development Act of 2005
- Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (2005)
- Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act (2006)
- Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act of 2013
|
|
|
International
representation |
- Global Health Security Initiative
- Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction
- United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004)
|
|
History |
Past biological
incidents |
- 1984 Rajneeshee bioterror attack
- 1989 California medfly attack
- 2001 anthrax attacks
- Wood Green ricin plot (2002)
- 2003 ricin letters
- 2013 ricin letters
|
|
Defunct organizations
& programs |
- United States Army Medical Unit
- United States biological weapons program
- Sunshine Project
- Aeromedical Isolation Team (DoD)
|
|
|
Related topics |
- Agro-terrorism
- Biodefense
- Biosecurity in the United States
- Biological agent
- Biological hazard
- Biological warfare (BW)
- Biosurveillance
- Bioterrorism
- CBRN defense
- Decontamination
- Entomological warfare
- Isolation (health care)
- Select agent
- Smallpox virus retention controversy
|
|
Weapons
|
|
History |
- Premodern combat
- Middle Ages
- American Civil War
- World War I
- Chemical
- Germany
- Infantry
- World War II
- France
- Italy
- Soviet Union
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Korean War
- Vietnam War
|
|
Types |
- Aircraft
- Ancillary
- Anti-aircraft
- Anti-ballistic
- Anti-personnel
- Anti-tank
- Area denial
- Artillery
- Biological
- Chemical
- Ceremonial
- Combat vehicle
- Conventional
- Crew-served
- Cyber
- Directed-energy
- Explosive
- Firearm
- Hunting
- Improvised
- Incendiary
- Mass destruction
- Non-lethal
- Offensive
- Personal
- Pneumatic
- Space
- Tectonic
- Toy
|
|
Other |
- Arsenal
- Industry
- Mount
- Possession
- Science fiction
|
|