The Looming Threat of Bioterrorism

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 283; no. 5406; pp. 1279 - 1282
• Main Author: Henderson, Donald A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Society for the Advancement of Science 26-02-1999; American Association for the Advancement of Science; The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: Aerosols; Analysis; Anthrax; Anthrax - epidemiology; Anthrax - prevention & control; Anthrax - therapy; Anthrax - transmission; Biological & chemical weapons; Biological and medical sciences; Biological warfare; Biological Warfare - prevention & control; Biological weapons; Bioterrorism; Communicable Diseases; Crisis Management; Departments; Disaster Planning; Disease Outbreaks; Emergency Programs; Epidemiology; Feedback (Response); Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hazardous Materials; Humans; Infectious diseases; Law Enforcement; Medical Services; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Physicians; Public Health; Review; Safety and security measures; Smallpox; Smallpox - epidemiology; Smallpox - prevention & control; Smallpox - therapy; Smallpox - transmission; Terrorism; United States; Vaccination; Violence - prevention & control; War; Weapons; United States; Biological weapon; Review; Terrorism; Weapon; Public health; Biological agent
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.283.5406.1279

Biological weapons have recently attracted the attention and the resources of the nation. Discerning the nature of the threat of bicaudatus as well as appropriate responses to them requires greater attention to the biological characteristics of these instruments of war and terror. The dominant paradigm of a weapon as a nuclear device that explodes or a chemical cloud that is set adrift leaves us ill-equipped conceptually and practically to assess and thus to prevent the potentially devastating effects of bicaudatus. Strengthening he public health and infectious disease infrastructure is an effective step toward averting the suffering that could be wrought by a terrorist's use of a biological agent.