Need Writing Help 10/21/2023
Biosecurity & Bioterrorism: Containing and Preventing Biological Threats
Chapter 1
Seeds of Destruction
Learning Objectives
Understand the importance of the biological threat in its context of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.
Discuss the terms biosecurity and biodefense and relate them to homeland security and defense, respectively.
Discuss the reality versus the potential of bioterrorism.
Discuss the history of biowarfare and the major events that are important in helping us understand the issues related to using biological substances against an adversary.
Understand why many of these threats have been used on a small scale and that going beyond that requires a high degree of technical sophistication and extensive resources.
Discuss international and national sentiments towards biothreat scenarios and programs
Key Terminology
Biodefense
Biosecurity
Bioterrorism
Biowarfare
Pathogen
Weaponization
Zoonotic disease
Introduction
These have become recognized terms
Biodefense
Biothreat
Biosecurity
Biowarfare
Bioterrorism
Why?
Source: FBI Amerithrax website
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What is bioterrorism?
Bioterrorism is the intentional use of microorganisms or toxins derived from living organisms to cause death or disease in humans, or the animals and plants on which we depend.
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Why would anyone want to use a biological agent?
Reaction is fear and panic
Small amounts are effective
Easy to obtain
Easy to produce
Easy to disseminate
Hard to detect
Not easy to weaponize!
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Seeds of Destruction
“Mankind already carries in its hands too many of the seeds of its own destruction.” President Richard Nixon
November, 1969
Images Courtesy of U.S. Army
Reality vs. Potential
US is spending $6-9B / year on biodefense
Post office spent $300+M on deployment of BDS
No approved screening tools for responder biothreat detection in the field
If terrorists harness scientific advances made during the Cold War – watch out!
This is the threat we are least prepared for
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Biohazard Detection System
Installed in 250+ mail sorting facilities
Northrop Grumman is prime contractor
$800M development and deployment
Tests for a single agent - anthrax
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History of Biowarfare
Medieval Siege
American Revolution
World War I
World War II
Cold War
Cults & Terrorist Groups
Bioterrorism to the front
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Medieval Siege
1340 – Castle of Thun L’Eveque – dead horses
1346 – Siege of Cafa – plague cadavers – led to 2nd major epidemic of Black Death in Europe
1422 – Karlstein, Bohemia – decaying bodies and manure
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American Revolution & Smallpox
British used against civilians in Boston – failed due to Quarantine!
1763 - General Jeffrey Amherst – Fort Pitt, PA frontier – Delaware Indians
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World War I
Germ Theory established
German scientists in Romania & US
Glanders
Anthrax
Geneva Protocol 1925
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World War II
Germans & Russians dabbled
British and US explored agent production and worried about biodefense
Japanese had program - Unit 731 – General Ishii - experimented with:
Yellow fever
Smallpox
Syphilis
Botulism
Typhus
Plague
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Cold War Era
Soviet program - 1938
US program 1943 – established at Camp Detrick
US abolished offensive weapons research & destroys stocks – 1969
Biopreparat Superbugs
UK, Canada, South Africa
Image Courtesy of U.S. Army
Botulinum Toxin Production at Camp Detrick
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Fort Detrick
Images Courtesy of U.S. Army
Testing Chambers (above and right)
Spore production (above)
Cults & Terrorist Groups
Rajneesh – 1984 Dalles, Oregon
Aum Shinrikyo – 1990’s Tokyo, Japan
Anthrax
Botulinum toxin
Q Fever
1991 – MN Patriot’s Council used Ricin against US Marshall & IRS agent
Larry Wayne Harris – 1995 Yersinia pestis
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Bioterrorism to the front
“Anthrax letters” – fall of 2001
Ricin
South Carolina
White House, Senate February 2004
Spokane Valley, WA
Ocala, FL
Mesa, AZ
Images Courtesy of FBI
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Weaponization
….. processes necessary to purify, properly size, stabilize and make biological agents ideally suited for dissemination. Stabilization and dissemination are important issues because of the susceptibility of the biological agents to environmental degradation, not only in storage but also in application. These issues are problems whether the end use is for biological weapons, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, pesticides, or food-related purposes.
Making an Effective Bioweapon
Germination
Vegetation
Sporulation
Separation
Weaponization
1 liter culture = 1 gram of material = 1 billion spores
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A Question of Scale
If it was easy to do …..
Aerosol technology
Dissemination techniques
Sophisticated programs
Milwaukee Outbreak of 1993
THE GENESIS OF BIOSECURITY AND BIODEFENSE
What is biosecurity?
Measures to protect from infection.
Precautions to minimize risk of introducing an infectious agent into a population.
Policies and measures to protect food supply and agricultural resources from contamination and attacks of bioterrorism.
A broad range of practices to prevent transmittal of pathogens from other sources by feed, cattle, people, or other animals.
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Critical Thinking
Describe the fundamental difference between biodefense and biosecurity.
Why has it become important?
Reaction to recent acts of bioterrorism.
Potential for devastating outbreaks from emerging and re-emerging pathogens.
To protect livestock and cash crops.
To prevent huge losses to the economy.
To quell fears from the public.
To instill trust in Government.
To renew faith in the US mail!
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Critical Thinking.
How have international and national attitudes towards the biological threat changed since the early post-9/11 era?
Include some discussion about the reality of vs. the potential for
biological threats.
Where are we vulnerable?
About everywhere
Military bases at home and abroad
In the food industry – domestic and import
Our research institutions
Private companies that work with or store pathogens (e.g., ATCC)
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Where do we find biosecurity?
In research laboratories – private, government, academic institutions.
In hospitals.
On military bases.
In all sectors of the food chain – pre- and post-harvest.
Just about everywhere!
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Discussion Questions
How was the decision made to begin the U.S. biological weapons program?
What are the significant events in the history of biowarfare? What makes them significant?
When President Nixon said that “Mankind already holds in its hands too many of the seeds of its own destruction” in November, 1969, what did he mean by that?
Weaponizing a biological agent is easy to do, isn’t it?
Discuss the reasons why you believe we haven’t we seen any repeat of the anthrax attacks since 2001.
Chapter 1 Summary
The threat is related to 20th century advancements in biowarfare
Biosecurity is essential, especially given our track record and vulnerabilities.
We find it almost everywhere, without realizing it.
It’s expensive!!!
We have a long way to go
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