2. Learning objectives
What is bioterrorism and biological warfare?
Historical perspectives
Bioweapons
Epidemiological clue of a possible bioterrorist attack
Laboratories for detection
Early detection systems
Legal provisions
Indian perspective
Nodal agencies involved
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3. Bioterrorism and biological warfare
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Biological warfare is the use of biological agents in warfare and is prohibited by the
Biological and Toxin Weapon Convention.
Bioterrorism is the deliberate release of viruses, bacteria or other agents used to cause
illness or death in people, animals or plants.
Biological warfare targets a military population and aims for massive destruction or
disruption of enemy forces.
Bioterrorism targets a civilian population and aims to generate social paralysis through
mass terror, confusion and community disruption.
4. Historical perspectives
Ist used during sixth century B.C.: contamination of water supply with fungus claviceps
purpurea ( rye ergot)
1346: hurling of dead bodies of plague victims to spread plague
1767: Spreading of smallpox by contaminated blankets
Yellow rain : mycotoxins(fungal toxins) used in Afghanistan
1984: In united states intentional contamination of restaurant salad bars with salmonella
2001: Anthrax attacks in the United States
1995: Sarin gas attack in Tokyo.
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5. Phases of evolution:
Phase 1: world war 1 – use of gaseous chemicals- chlorine and phosgene
Phase 2: world war 2 – anthrax and plague bombs
Phase 3: agent orange – during Vietnam war
Phase 4: biotechnological revolution and use of genetic engineering.
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6. Bioweapons
Any micro organism having the capacity to cause death, disability or disease in
man, animal or plant and hence cause large scale casualty and sufferings.
Also called as : poor man’s atomic bomb
can be :
micro-organisms : natural/ genetically engineered.
BDBS: biologically derived bioactive substances. Eg: cytokines, hormones
Manually designed biological toxin like substances – eg: nervegases
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7. Features of bioweapons
Consistently produce a given effect, death or disease at low concentration
Should be highly contagious
Have a short and predictable incubation period
Target population should have no immunity against the organism
Amneable to economic mass production
Difficult to identify in target population
Little or no prophylaxis or treatment should be available.
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8. Categories of biological disease/ agents
Category A Category B Category C
3 categories according to CDC:
A
• High priority agents
• Risk to national security
• Have major public health
impact
• Easily transmitted and
disseminated
• Eg: anthrax, botulism,
plague, smallpox,
tularemia etc
• Causes moderate to low
mortality
• Eg: brucellosis,
psittacosis, Q-fever,
shigella, e coli.
• Emerging pathogens that
could be engineered for
massive destruction
• Easily available
• Easy to produce and
disseminate
• Capacity to cause huge
public health impact
• Eg: Nipah, hanta virus,
SARS virus, H1N1
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10. Challenges and determinants
Challenges posed by bioweapons:
Availability of multiple agents and delivery means
Variable incubationperiod
High mortalityrates
Potential for geographic dispersion of the agent during incubationperiod
Determinants of bioterrorist attack:
Conquest of power, progress andmoney
Preserving and promotingreligion/race/ideologies
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11. Epidemiological clues of bioterrorist
attack
Disease manifesting in more severe form
Too many cases or death in particular region – sudden rise in hours/ days
Unusual route of exposure
Transmitted by unusual vector
Unusual host factors
Multiple simultaneous/ serial epidemics
Different attack rate in different area.
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12. Laboratories for detecting bioweapons
Level A Level B Level C Level D
• Routine pathogens
cultured and
identified
Tests done:
• Confirmatory test
• Antibiotic
susceptibility test
• Rapid presumptive
identification
• Molecular level
testing
• Also called:
Hot labs
• Highest in
expertise
• Conducts highly
specialized tests
• To save time consumed by lab tests, a uniform diagnostic protocol is formulated
• A syndrome based diagnostic criteria for suspected infections
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13. Early detection systems
BIDS: Biological integrated detection system
Genetic and antibody based detection on suspected aerosolparticles
LRBSDS: Long range biological stand off detection system
Detects aerosol clouds from a distance upto 30 kms and can provide earlywarning.
SRBSDS: Short range biological stand off detection system
Uses ultraviolet and laser inducedfluorescence
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14. Legal provisions related to
bioterrorism
Geneva protocol 1925
Biological weapons conventions 1972
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15. Geneva protocol
Came into force on 8th feb 1928
Prohibits use in war of asphyxiating poisons or other gases and of all analogous
liquids, materials or devices and also bacteriological methods of warfare.
Limitations:
Prohibited use but notpossession
Not all nations were itssignatory
Many states had right to use if attacked by suchweapons
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16. Biological weapons convention (BWC)
Came into force on : 26th march 1975
Prohibition of development, production and stockpiling of bacteriological and
toxin weapons and their destruction.
Has 2 articles:
Article 1: never in any circumstance to develop, produce, stockpile or acquire/retain
items – microbial/ other biological agents or toxin and weapons, equipments or means
of delivery designed to use of such agents
Article 2: destroy/ divert to peaceful purposes all agents, toxins, weapons,
equipments and all means of delivery within 9 months of entry into convention.
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17. Indian perspective
India is more at risk due to:
Densepopulation
Poor hygiene and deprivedsanitation
Congenial climaticconditions.
Lack of adequate medicalfacilities.
Challenges to fight bioterrorism:
Proper collection of specimen at the site and theiridentification
Recognize the occurrence of attack and quick management of alloutbreak.
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18. Ministries dealing with bioterrorism
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare : deals with epidemics
Ministry of Home Affairs : prevention of bioterrorism
Ministry of Defence : manages matters and consequences of biowarfare.
Ministry of environment, forest and climate change: evaluating short and long term
consequences
Ministry of agriculture : deals with biological disasters related to plants, animals, livestock
and fisheries.
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19. Role of public health agencies
Surveillance of infectious disease
Detection and investigation of outbreaks
Identification of etiologic agents and their mode of transmission
Development of prevention and control strategies.
Maintaining effective disease surveillance and communication system are fundamental
components of an adequate public health infrastructure.
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20. Essential activities for successful
response to bioterrorist attack
Identification of the event through awareness, suspicion, and surveillance.
Well-organized patient management and infection control.
Providing accurate information to health-care providers and the public.
Conducting disease surveillance and contact tracing.
Administering vaccines or prophylactic antibiotics.
Implementing restrictive measures such as quarantine and isolation.
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