Roffey R, Lantorp K, Tegnell A, Elgh F
Swedish Defence Research Agency, Division of NBC-Defense, Umeå, Sweden.
Clin Microbiol Infect. 2002 Aug;8(8):522-8. doi: 10.1046/j.1469-0691.2002.00497.x.
Biological weapons and biological terrorism have recently come into focus due to the deliberate release of Bacillus anthracis via mail delivered in the USA. Since the 1930s, biological weapons have been developed in a number of countries. In 1975, the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention entered into force; this prohibits the use of these weapons and has been signed by a large majority of countries (144). Unfortunately, several countries failed to respect this treaty. The Soviet Union continued and expanded its biological weapons program, and after the Gulf War it was revealed that Iraq also had an extensive biological weapons program. Large-scale deliberate release of, Bacillus anthracis, for example, or an epidemic following a release of smallpox virus, would have a devastating effect. This has motivated the world community to strengthen the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention with a control mechanism which has, as yet, not been successful. Sweden, like other countries, is enhancing its preparedness with regard to stocks of antibiotics and vaccines, related to these improving the diagnostics these and similar agents, and is setting up an epidemiologic task force that can be used in infectious disease emergencies such as the deliberate release of biological warfare agents. International cooperation in this area has to be enhanced, not least in the European Union.
由于美国通过邮件蓄意投放炭疽杆菌，生物武器和生物恐怖主义最近成为人们关注的焦点。自20世纪30年代以来，一些国家一直在研发生物武器。1975年，《生物和毒素武器公约》生效；该公约禁止使用这些武器，并且绝大多数国家（144个）都签署了该公约。不幸的是，有几个国家没有遵守这项条约。苏联继续并扩大其生物武器计划，海湾战争后发现伊拉克也有广泛的生物武器计划。例如，大规模蓄意投放炭疽杆菌，或者天花病毒投放后引发的疫情，都将产生毁灭性影响。这促使国际社会通过一种控制机制来加强《生物和毒素武器公约》，但目前尚未成功。瑞典和其他国家一样，正在加强其抗生素和疫苗储备方面的准备工作，包括改进针对这些及类似病原体的诊断方法，并组建一支可用于诸如蓄意投放生物战剂等传染病紧急情况的流行病学特别工作组。这一领域的国际合作必须得到加强，尤其是在欧盟。
