Biological Terrorism Essay -- Terror Terrorists Science Essays

Biological Terrorism I. CATASTROPHIC TERRORISM The date is April 24, 2005. The time is approximately 830 am. Somewhere on the New York City tube-shaped structure system a briefcase sits, apparently forgotten. Inside the briefcase, an electronic oscillator flips over, marking the passage of thirtieth minute since its owner abdicated. In the busy subway station no one notices the small hissing noise that is produced as an odorless, tasteless aerosol is slowly released into the air. Within minutes, the pathogen contained in the gas has spread throughout the station, and New York has unwittingly played host to the first recorded incidence of bioterrorism. The first symptoms appear nearly a week later. At first, victims believe they are suffering from the flu, save symptoms quickly progress from fever, rigors and headache to severe chest pain, irregular heartbeat and pustular eruptions. In the absence of treatment, nearly all those infected die within 2 w eeks of the onset of symptoms. 1 Could this really happen? In the above case, glanders (Burkholderia mallei), a pathogen which normally strikes horses and mules, is released by a terroristic individual or group. Glanders was specifically chosen because of its virulence, advanced mortality rate, stability in aerosol, and ease of cultivation. When symptomatic individuals first arrive, accurate diagnosis will be unbelievable glanders is extremely rare in humans, and it is unlikely that medical personnel will have experience with the disease. Further complicating diagnosis, the pathogen does not appear in blood cultures until the victim is near death. Once diagnosed, medical personnel must take precautions to prevent person-to-person transmissio... ...st accessed 20 November 2000Clinton, William J. Executive Order 12938 Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, 14 November, 1994COL Eitzen and others, eds. Medical Management of Biological Casualties Handbook, Thi rd Edition, doctorU.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), 1998. Available from http//jeffrense.com/political/weapons/biowardoc.htm, April 1999. Last accessed 4 December 2000Hoffman, Bruce, Terrorism and Weapons of Mass Destruction An Analysis of Trends and Motivations, atomic number 20RAND, 1999Schelling, Thomas C. Arms and Influence. Virginia BookCrafters, Inc. 1966Segaller, Stephen, Invisible Armies, LondonMichael Joseph Ltd.1986Fyodor Kondrashov, Research Scientist for the National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health, interview by author, 5 December 2000