Bioterrorism

Running Head : Bioterrorism

Name

University

Course

Tutor

Date

Bioterrorism

Bioterrorism is the intentional use of harmful biological substances to cause fear and widespread illness . Bioterrorism is different from chemical , radiation and nuclear attacks which are planned to cause damage and release harmful substances in the air and the surrounding environment . This because it is not signaled by an explosion hence may not be recognized immediately and may take the local health workers time to discover that a disease is spreading in a certain area . A bioterrorism

attack is the deliberate release of bacteria , viruses or other germs to cause illness and at times death in people , animals or plants . The agents are found in nature , but are changed to increase ability to cause diseases , increase ability to spread into the environment and make them resistant to current medicine . The biological agents may be spread through air by use of weapons or through drinking water or food contaminated on purpose like the 1984 attack where a group intentionally contaminated salad with salmonella bacteria in Oregon restaurants , though nobody died there were 751 people diagnosed with food borne illness (Ayers , 2006

Bioterrorism is often politically or religiously motivated and can cause political , economical , religious and social effects . It doesn 't have to be directed to human beings in to cause effects on the economy and human health . Although the most likely and deadly agents to be used are anthrax , plague , smallpox and botulism , other biological agents can be used . The aim...