Biological Weapons: Could Smallpox Be Used as a Weapon - Research Paper Example

? Biological Weapons: Could Smallpox Be Used as a Weapon? The use of biological weapons seems to have an immense contribution in the context of warfare and terrorism. This report primarily focuses on the use of biological weapons by the states and terrorists and their significant impacts on the lives of human beings. Smallpox was proved to be the most lethal of all viruses that could be used as a biological weapon and hence a study on the use and impacts of smallpox virus has been presented through the study. Introduction: Biological weapons can be understood to be such microorganisms, that if can be placed in a targeted host body, are capable of infecting the body and developing thus killing the target body or putting the body out of action. Such weapons might also be biologically derived bioactive substances that can injure the host that is targeted. Also, biological-mimicking substances can be designed artificially that are capable of duplicating the performances of actual micro-organic substances and targeted on an enemy depending on the need, for example in war (Microbiology 101 Internet Text, Chapter XV, Addendum: Biological Weapons; Malignant Biology, 2000). This report focuses on the use of biological weapons and tries to learn whether small pox can be used as a biological weapon. Biological Weapons and Their Use: Biological weapons are known to play two different roles. They can be used in the production of different vaccines that might be capable of struggling against dreadful diseases. On the other hand, such weapons can be used in the warfare or terrorist attacks to kill individuals by inflicting them through the introduction of such weapons in their bodies. These weapons are primarily intended to be used in biological warfare that makes the use of biological weapons intentionally. This involves planting of micro-organisms, or other microbial toxins that can produce diseases, within the body of an individual who is the target to be killed (DaSilva, 1999). The attraction of different states and terrorists towards the use of biological weapons has been enhanced with the easy availability of the biological instruments or weapons which is accompanied by the lower costs of producing them. Moreover these are easy to be transported from one place to another and are also not easily detected by the prevailing systems of security. Growing numbers of countries are making use of biological weapons in their warfare and attacks made by the terrorists (DaSilva, 1999). The growing nature of the use of biological weapons reflect the challenges encountered by the biological security systems thus leading to the development of the threats caused by the formation of the dreadful biological weapons inflicting deadly diseases and killing masses of people (Fidler & Gostin, 2008, p.23). There is a huge availability of the biological components that can be used in the creation of biological weapons. However, the use of biological weapon requires the willing state or the terrorist to meet certain criteria. These include selection of the biological instrument, getting hold of it, weaponizing it and finally circulation of the agent. Since the accomplishments of these steps is not an easy task, the process communicates the fact that the manufacture and use of biological weapon require efficient resources, skill and expertise in the use of technology, political support as well as a proper infrastructure. Some of the biological agents that can be used in the formation of biological weapons include anthrax, plague bacteria, viruses of hemorrhagic fever and others. However, all these biological instruments have proved to have some negative aspects and hence were found to be difficult in achieving the goals of preparing biological weapons. In the present scenario the most dangerous biological agent that has proved to be successful in formation of biological weapons is the virus of smallpox (Fidler & Gostin, 2008, pp.33-36) the use of which is discussed in the following section. Use of Smallpox as a Biological Weapon: Smallpox was first known to be used as a biological weapon during the period of 1754-1767 when the French and Indian Wars were prevailing in the nation. Smallpox was then spread by the soldiers as they circulated blankets that were in touch with people who suffered from smallpox. Hence this led to an endemic and many people were killed. This was the first time that smallpox proved its ability to be used as a biological weapon (Smallpox as a Biological Weapon, 1999). Smallpox is considered as highly dangerous since it is capable of transmitting the virus through air and it is a very deadly disease particularly for individuals who are not vaccinated. The use of smallpox has thus been an issue of concern as it is not a curable disease if symptoms start occurring in an individual. Moreover, it is highly contagious and easily spreads from one person to another. The symptoms of the disease are also not visible instantly and hence prove to be a fatal disease for individuals (Fidler & Gostin, 2008, p. 36). Studies clearly reflect that smallpox has been used as a biological weapon since a long time. However the World Health Organization had taken measures to eliminate the disease that had spread worldwide. All the stocks of the virus were decided to be removed. However, owing to biodiversity loss, with the surfacing of the individuals who were immunosuppressed led by cancer chemotherapy and other related factors enhanced the decision making process to settle on destruction of the virus that could be used as a protective source (DaSilva, 1999). It was realized that if competitor organizations tended to obtain smallpox as a biological weapon. Two main store houses are available in the world that makes the virus available and these are located at Atlanta in the United States and Novosibirsk in Russia. If the virus could be spread into the air, it would get circulated among the population thus affecting and killing large masses of people. The stores of the virus are inadequate across the globe. However, when the smallpox was legitimately declared to be eliminated from the society, it reflected the susceptibility of the population who had to undertake the various vaccination schemes made available for the purpose (Lamont & Jenkinson, 2010, p.82). If the above mentioned studies can be considered, then it can be realized that biological weapons have created their own significant positions in the minds of the states as well as the terrorists as a means of killing masses of people. Smallpox could be found as one of the most deadly and fatal disease that could be used and had been used for the purpose of using it as a biological weapon. It had its prevalence of use since early times implying the fact that states and terrorists were in search for such deadly measures to include them in their warfare and kill masses of people. Thus, when the concern of the study was to learn whether smallpox could be used as a biological weapon, then this study clearly reflects that smallpox has the records of being dreadfully used in warfare and several lives have been lost as a result of this. Conclusion: The use of biological weapons has been found to have taken a major role in the activities of states and terrorists in achieving their goals during warfare. The use of biological instruments intending to contribute in the biological warfare has been a process been undertaken since long time by different states and the terrorists. Although several viruses have been available for the purpose, the smallpox virus remained the most viable and effective and has been used in the early times to kill large number of people. Although health organizations have tried to eliminate the disease completely, the virus being a protective measure was a matter of concern to be decided on eradication. However, the population has turned out to be so vulnerable that vaccination is a severe requirement in the prevention of the disease. References: 1) DaSilva, E.J. (1999). Biological warfare, bioterrorism, biodefence and the biological and toxin weapons convention, Electronic Journal of Biotechnology, 2(3), Retrieved on October 13, 2011 from: http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?pid=S0717-34581999000300001&script=sci_arttext 2) Fidler, D.P. & L.O. Gostin (2008). Biosecurity in the global age: biological weapons, public health, and the rule of law, California: Stanford University Press 3) Lamont, R.L. & H.F. Jenkinson (2010). Oral Microbiology at a Glance, New York: John Wiley and Sons 4) Microbiology 101 Internet Text, Chapter XV, Addendum: Biological Weapons; Malignant Biology (2000), WSU, Retrieved on October 13, 2011 from: http://www.slic2.wsu.edu:82/hurlbert/micro101/pages/101biologicalweapons.html#definitionBW 5) Smallpox as a Biological Weapon (1999), The Journal of the American Medical Association, 281(22), pp.2127-2137, Retrieved on October 14, 2011, from: http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/281/22/2127.full Read More