Christopher G W, Cieslak T J, Pavlin J A, Eitzen E M
Operational Medicine Division, US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Md. 21702-5011, USA.
JAMA. 1997 Aug 6;278(5):412-7.
The deliberate use of microorganisms and toxins as weapons has been attempted throughout history. Biological warfare has evolved from the crude use of cadavers to contaminate water supplies to the development of specialized munitions for battlefield and covert use. The modern development of biological agents as weapons has paralleled advances in basic and applied microbiology. These include the identification of virulent pathogens suitable for aerosol delivery and industrial-scale fermentation processes to produce large quantities of pathogens and toxins. The history of biological warfare is difficult to assess because of a number of confounding factors. These include difficulties in verification of alleged or attempted biological attacks, the use of allegations of biological attacks for propaganda purposes, the paucity of pertinent microbiological or epidemiologic data, and the incidence of naturally occurring endemic or epidemic diseases during hostilities. Biological warfare has been renounced by 140 nations, primarily for strategic and other pragmatic reasons. International diplomatic efforts, including the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention, have not been entirely effective in preventing the enhancement and proliferation of offensive biological warfare programs. The threats posed by biological weapons are likely to continue into the future.
历史上曾有人企图故意将微生物和毒素用作武器。生物战已从最初利用尸体污染水源的原始手段，发展到研制用于战场和隐蔽行动的特种弹药。将生物制剂用作武器的现代发展与基础和应用微生物学的进步同步。这些进步包括鉴定出适合通过气溶胶传播的致病病原体，以及开发工业规模的发酵工艺以大量生产病原体和毒素。由于存在诸多混杂因素，生物战的历史难以评估。这些因素包括难以核实所谓的或企图发动的生物袭击、利用生物袭击指控进行宣传、相关微生物学或流行病学数据匮乏，以及敌对行动期间自然发生的地方病或流行病的发病率。140个国家已宣布放弃生物战，主要是出于战略和其他实际原因。包括1972年《生物武器公约》在内的国际外交努力，在防止进攻性生物战计划的强化和扩散方面并未完全取得成效。生物武器构成的威胁在未来可能会持续存在。
