Homeland Security forum responses(Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Threats to the Homeland)
dqbnez
w2rf_kourtney_clark_.docx
Anthrax is an infectious bacterial disease caused by Bacillus anthracis. People can become infected through open wounds, inhalation, digestion or injection. In not treated with antibiotics within hours of exposure Anthrax can be fatal. Anthrax affects the body in different ways depending on how a person came in contact with it. -Cutaneous Anthrax causes blisters, swelling, painless sores with a black center. Cutaneous anthrax is through skin contact or open wounds. -Inhalation anthrax causes fever, chills, shortness of breath, cough, confusion, headaches. Inhalation anthrax symptoms are similar to flu symptoms and is the most dangerous way of contact with the disease. -Gastrointestinal anthrax has similar symptoms to inhalation anthrax but includes swelling of the neck, sore throat, painful swallowing, vomiting blood, diarrhea, stomach pain, fainting, swelling of the abdomen. Gatroinsteninal anthrax is contracted through ingesting contaminated food or water. -Injection anthrax is similar to cutaneous anthrax but when the disease is injected into the bloodstream it spreads faster making it difficult to detect in time. It is my belief that injection anthrax can be contracted trough contaminated drugs. Anthrax is found naturally in the world and am be made in a lab making it easily accessible. Anthrax can affect livestock and water resources that can affect large amounts of people. Anthrax can be released quietly to unknown amounts of people that would not detect the attack until it is too late. Terrorists can put anthrax in letters mailed all over the world that would contaminate a person when opened. Terrorists can put anthrax in ventilation systems in buildings causing it to mix in the air and become inhaled. Terrorists can use agricultural airplanes to disseminate anthrax across a large area quickly. Anthrax in the air can be carried to people that may not have been near the intended targets. Anthrax is a widely known and used biological agent. It is easy to get ahold of and easy to diapers to mass amounts of people. As a weapon this disease is very dangerous to public health and agriculture. Reference Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Terrorism: The Threat According to the Current Unclassified Literature. (2016). Dtic.mil. Retrieved 13 November 2016, from http://www.dtic.mil/get-tr-doc/pdf?AD=ADA404213
