Hayoun Michael A., Chen Richard J., Swinkels Helena M., King Kevin C.
Tristar Healthcare Network
Jefferson-Einstein Healthcare Network
Biological weapons are agents, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and toxins, used for malicious purposes: in war (biowarfare), to cause terror (bioterrorism), or for criminal acts (biocrime). [Suspected Intentional Use Of Biologic And Toxic Agents. 2018] Some agents are lethal, and others cause illness or incapacitation. Entities direct biological agents at the human population, crops, and livestock. More than 180 pathogens and biotoxins have been researched or employed as biological weapons, including those that cause anthrax, tularemia, brucellosis, plague, Legionnaire disease, Q fever, glanders, melioidosis, smallpox, viral hemorrhagic fevers, influenza, coccidiosis, rice blast, and wheat rust. Biotoxins include ricin, botulinum toxin, and staphylococcal enterotoxin B. Designers create biological weapons to disperse as aerosols, facilitating rapid spread across large populations. However, agents may also spread from person to person or by vectors, ingestion, direct contact, or other methods. Agents used for biological weapons have distinct advantages over conventional agents (eg, chemical weapons): Microbial agents are often more easily mass-produced. Large quantities are easy to conceal and transport. Agents are more easily able to become airborne or waterborne, increasing the area of dissemination. Some agents pass from person to person. Biological agents are classified into different categories depending on their ability to cause illness and their impact on public health. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) categorizes agents into 3 groups: Category A. Highest priority. Easily disseminated or transmitted. High mortality rates and potential for major public health impact. Can cause public panic and social disruption. Require specific actions for public health preparedness. Category B. Second highest priority. Moderately easy to disseminate. Moderate morbidity and low mortality. Require specific enhancements to the CDC's diagnostic and disease surveillance capacities. Category C. Third highest priority. Potentially engineered for mass dissemination. Potential for high morbidity and mortality and significant health impact. Category A agents include (anthrax), toxin (botulism), (plague), (smallpox), (tularemia), and viruses that cause hemorrhagic fevers (eg, Ebola virus, Marburg virus, Lassa virus). Category B agents include Brucella species (Brucellosis), (Psittacosis), (Q fever), ricin toxin (from ), enteric pathogens (SalmonellaShigella), Staphylococcal enterotoxin B, and viruses that cause encephalitis. Category C agents are emerging pathogens such as Nipah virus and hantavirus.
生物武器是指用于恶意目的的制剂，包括细菌、病毒、真菌和毒素：用于战争（生物战）、制造恐怖（生物恐怖主义）或实施犯罪行为（生物犯罪）。[《生物制剂和有毒制剂的疑似故意使用》。2018年] 有些制剂是致命的，而其他制剂会导致疾病或使人丧失能力。相关实体将生物制剂用于人类、农作物和牲畜。已有180多种病原体和生物毒素被研究或用作生物武器，包括那些可引发炭疽、兔热病、布鲁氏菌病、鼠疫、军团病、Q热、马鼻疽、类鼻疽、天花、病毒性出血热、流感、球虫病、稻瘟病和小麦锈病的病原体。生物毒素包括蓖麻毒素、肉毒杆菌毒素和葡萄球菌肠毒素B。研制者制造生物武器以气溶胶形式散布，便于在大量人群中迅速传播。然而，制剂也可能通过人与人之间传播或通过媒介、摄入、直接接触或其他方式传播。用于生物武器的制剂相对于传统制剂（如化学武器）具有明显优势：微生物制剂通常更容易大量生产。大量制剂易于隐藏和运输。制剂更容易通过空气或水传播，从而扩大传播范围。有些制剂可在人与人之间传播。生物制剂根据其致病能力和对公众健康的影响分为不同类别。美国疾病控制与预防中心（CDC）将制剂分为3类：A类。最高优先级。易于传播或传染。死亡率高，对公众健康有重大影响潜力。可引发公众恐慌和社会混乱。需要采取特定行动进行公共卫生防范。B类。第二高优先级。传播难度适中。发病率中等，死亡率低。需要对疾病预防控制中心的诊断和疾病监测能力进行特定强化。C类。第三高优先级。有可能被设计用于大规模传播。有高发病率和死亡率以及重大健康影响的潜力。A类制剂包括炭疽杆菌、肉毒杆菌毒素（肉毒中毒）、鼠疫杆菌（鼠疫）、天花病毒（天花）、土拉弗朗西斯菌（兔热病）以及可引发出血热的病毒（如埃博拉病毒、马尔堡病毒、拉沙病毒）。B类制剂包括布鲁氏菌属（布鲁氏菌病）、鹦鹉热衣原体（鹦鹉热）、贝纳柯克斯体（Q热）、蓖麻毒素（来自蓖麻）、肠道病原体（沙门氏菌、志贺氏菌）、葡萄球菌肠毒素B以及可引发脑炎的病毒。C类制剂是新兴病原体，如尼帕病毒和汉坦病毒。
