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Bioterrorism has been a
growing
concern in recent times, however the threat of biological warfare has been a
constant concern as early as the 6th century B.C.E. The Ancient Assyrians were known to have poisoned the water supplies of their enemies causing widespread disease and
panic. Much later, during the Middle Ages, when The Plague was ravaging Europe, armies
hurled dead, diseased bodies at their enemies. The mere threat of coming in contact with a Plague-ridden body, often provoked immediate surrender. Even as recent as the French and Indian War in the 18th century, soldiers reportedly offered blankets
laced with smallpox to Indians loyal to the French. An epidemic arose and
eventually contributed to the decimation many tribes. In 1925, the Geneva Convention banned all forms of biological warfare. Japan, refusing to approve the ban, began conducting experiments with biological agents. During World War II, Japanese bombs containing Y. pestis, the causative agent of the Plague, were dropped on at least three cities, causing the deaths of more than 150 people. The threat of biological warfare continues today as it has for millennia. With advances in biotechnology comes not only new developments in germ warfare, but also improvements in the methods used to fight such attacks. |
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Category A |
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Yersinia pestis |
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| Category B | ||
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Brucella sp. E. coli 0157:H7 Vibrio cholerae Cryptosporidium parvum Ricinus communis |
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| Category C | ||
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Nimpah Virus Hantavirus |
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CDC Category Descriptions |
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| Category A - HIGH Priority | Category B Agents | Category C Agents |
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© 2003. All rights reserved. For questions, comments, or corrections, email: webmaster@historique.net Revised: 05.08.2005 |
Historique.net | Infectious Disease |