Bioterrorism: Historical Prospective

Abstract

Biological weapons have been a threat to human being for many centuries. Many different modes and techniques have been used since ancient times to use the biological warfare agents to kill or harm the enemy and to fulfill their evil intentions. The earliest report has been found before the birth of Christ. At those times very crude methods such as faecal matter and animal carcasses etc. were used but now the concentrated forms of biological agents such as dried spores and genetically modified organisms are available which are fatal even in minute quantity. After the two world wars there had been a race to develop deadlier biological weapons which resulted in death of millions of people and live stocks. Taking into account the potential of these biological weapons to cause mass destruction, a Convention was signed to check the production storage and use of biological weapons. For this full international cooperation is needed. The use of RaPiD-T(R-recognition, P-protection, Ddetection, and T-treatment) course can help in reducing morbidity and mortality. The Patriot act and Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness act have been passed in this regard.