Unit 09: The Biological Threat

Question 1

What can a biological attack cause? (5)

Answer 1

Illness, Death, Fear, Societal Disruption, Economic Damage

Question 2

What does a biological attack refers to?

Answer 2

An intentional release of a pathogen (disease-causing agent) or biotoxin (poisonous substance produced by a living organism) against humans, plants, or animals

Question 3

What can biological agents be used for? (4)

Answer 3

• Incapacitate an individual or population
• Kill an individual or population
• Affect livestock
• Affect crops

Question 4

True or False
Biological agents are less effective as a tactical weapon?

Answer 4

True

Question 5

What makes biological agents less effective as a tactical weapon?

Answer 5

• They may take days or weeks before they are symptomatic
• They are difficult to control in terms of spread

Question 6

What makes a biological agent an ideal terrorist weapon?

Answer 6

It can have an incubation period

Question 7

Why does having an incubation period make biological agents an ideal terrorist weapon?

Answer 7

May allow the terrorist to deploy the agent and escape undetected

Question 8

Why are biological attacks by a terrorist group not easy to conduct or practical?

Answer 8

• Because if they were, then history would likely be filled with many more occurrences of use by terrorist groups or hostile states
• Most of the experience deals with small-scale, limited attacks

Question 9

In what year did the Japanese Army have three biological research centers?

Answer 9

1932

Question 10

In what year did Great Britain take steps towards its own biological weapons research project?

Answer 10

1934

Question 11

In what year did the Allies first test a bioweapon - Anthrax - against sheep?

Answer 11

1942

Question 12

In what year did the US Bioweapons program begin?

Answer 12

1943

Question 13

When was the Biological Warfare Convention (BWC) completed?

Answer 13

1972

Question 14

In what year were members of a right-wing group found to be in possession of 30-40 kg of typhoid bacteria that were supposedly to be used to contaminate water supplies in the US

Answer 14

1972

Question 15

In what year does the BWC officially go into force?

Answer 15

1975

Question 16

How many nations are signatories of the BWC treaty?

Answer 16

79

Question 17

In what year was a terrorist group found to be in possession of technical manuals on how to produce bioweapons?

Answer 17

1975

Question 18

What are the two kinds of biological agents?

Answer 18

Transmissible and Non-Transmissible agents

Question 19

What are transmissible biological agents? provide an example.

Answer 19

• Spread from person to person or animal to animal
• Ex. Ebola, Smallpox, Foot and mouth disease (animals), etc.

Question 20

What are non-transmissible agents? Provide an example.

Answer 20

• They may cause adverse effects to exposed individuals and are non-contagious.
• Ex. Anthrax, and Botulinum toxin

Question 21

What are the four classifications of Biological agents? (4)

Answer 21

• Bacteria (Single-celled organisms)
• Viruses (DNA or RNA requiring other host cells to replicate)
• Biotoxins (poisonous substances produced by living organisms)
• Rickettsia (micro-organisms that live in cells)

Question 22

The United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has identified and categorized diseases/agents as potential bioterror threats, what are they? (3)

Answer 22

A, B, and C threats

Question 23

What are category A biological agents?

Answer 23

• Agents considered to be easily disseminated and/or contagious
• High mortality rates
• Might disrupt society
• Requires special attention for public health preparedness

Question 24

What are the 6 types of dissemination?

Answer 24

• Aerosol
• Food or Water
• Human Carriers
• Infected animals
• Insects
• Physically distributed

Question 25

What are the 8 indicators of a biological weapon?

Answer 25

• Similar to the indicators of chemical agents
• Microbiology textbooks or reference manuals may be discovered
• Containers used for transport
• PPE such as respirators, biological suits, gloves
• Excessive amounts of antibiotics
• Abandoned spray devices
• Unusual sprays being disseminated, especially at night
• Multiple patients in a given area displaying similar signs of illness

Question 26

What are the advantages of using biological weapons? (7)

Answer 26

• Low cost of production for many agents
• Small quantities might have dramatic effects
• Deadly and/or incapacitating effects on susceptible population
• Agent formulations may be easily disseminated
• Difficulty in diagnosing
• Can result in fear, panic, social disruption
• symptoms can mimic naturally occurring diseases

Question 27

What are the disadvantages of using biological weapons? (6)

Answer 27

• Biological weapons may affect the health of the aggressor
• Agent desired may be difficult or impossible to acquire
• Weather conditions directly affect dispersion
• Weather conditions lessen the survivability of some organisms
• May not generate immediate attention due to incubation
• Advanced technology required to produce most formulations

Question 28

What does decontamination do during a response to a biological threat? (6)

Answer 28

• Plays a lesser role as compared to chemical contamination
• Agents are non-volatile and not dermally active
• Small particle sizes = less residue on surfaces
• Low risk of re-aerosolization forming due to wind, vehicular traffic, or other mechanical agitation
• Environmental decontamination on a case-by-case basis
• Removal of clothing, washing with soap and water-99.99&