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Bioterrorism is the deliberate introduction of biological agents to cause widespread disease and panic. It can be carried out by individuals, terrorist organizations, or states. It differs from biological warfare and is severely prosecuted. Governments have departments dedicated to prevention and research. Biological agents are classified based on virulence. The history of bioterrorism is ancient, but modern advances in laboratory science have made it more dangerous. The slow incubation period of biological agents makes it difficult to identify and can cause widespread panic and chaos.
Bioterrorism is a form of terrorism that involves the deliberate introduction of biological agents into an environment or community for the purpose of causing widespread disease and panic. Like other acts of terrorism, bioterrorism is intended to create chaos and undermine morale, and can be carried out by an individual, a terrorist organization, or even a state actor who wishes to use terrorist tactics to further political goals. As human knowledge of the disease has expanded, the risk of bioterrorism has increased dramatically, especially as several unstable nations have stockpiles of biological agents that could potentially be appropriated and used by terrorist groups.
This form of terrorism is distinct from biological warfare. While both involve the release of biological agents, biological warfare does occur on or around the battlefield during a recognized military conflict. Terrorism, by its nature, is separate from legitimate military conflict and involves asymmetrical tactics designed to undermine a society or government. The use of viruses, bacteria and toxins in warfare is prohibited under international law and bioterrorism is also severely prosecuted.
Many government agencies around the world have departments dedicated to bioterrorism research and prevention. Biological agents are divided into three classes, A, B and C, on the basis of virulence. Diseases like smallpox are considered class A, because they could potentially spread quickly and kill numerous people, while class B agents like glanders are less virulent, and class C agents are made up of things that could potentially be weaponized because they are readily available.
The history of bioterrorism is ancient. One of the earliest recorded examples occurred in 600 BC in Assyria when ergot was used to contaminate grain supplies. The use of bodies of plague and smallpox victims for the purpose of spreading disease has also been documented in Europe and Asia at various periods in history. Modern bioterrorism has been made significantly more dangerous by advances in laboratory science. In the 20th century, the Japanese cult Aum Shinrikyo attracted a lot of attention when it released ricin toxin on the Tokyo subway, and in the United States, a series of anthrax letters in 20 caused widespread panic.
One of the big problems with bioterrorism is that biological agents can spread gradually and incubate slowly, creating the potential for the agent to spread before people know what’s going on. Biological terrorism can also be difficult to identify at first, as medical personnel and law enforcement agencies may not immediately realize what is happening when patients begin seeking medical care. As a result, a well-timed and carefully planned attack, especially one involving genetically engineered agents, could sow widespread panic, confusion, chaos and disease in a region or an entire nation.
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