The Effectiveness of The U.S Defence Against Bioterrorist Attacks

The United States of America is in constant danger of biological terrorism despite efforts to upgrade and maintain security and protection against such threats. In the last ten years, the United States has actually become increasingly vulnerable to large bioterrorism assaults. The term Bioterrorism makes reference to the utilization of any bio-agent as a weapon for the purpose of some kind political or personal gain.

Bioterrorism is operated by governments all over the world to gain authority over a territory or a community in a form of non-physical warfare. Bioterrorism, in the United States, dates back to World War 1 when anthrax spores were used to deplete the population of animals that were used in the American war effort. In the past two decades, the United States has seen an increase in the use and production of biological agents within the country. There have also been numerous attempts by other nations and territories to make biological agents more readily available to the United States. Bioterrorism is mostly used in developing countries but has recently proven to be a significant threat to the health and wellness of citizens in the United States.

Bioterrorism is the intentional release of a chemical or biological agent with the intentions to harm or kill off a population or food source. Also known as biological warfare, bioterrorism uses microorganism to cause larger amounts of damage in a non-physical way. Bio-agents can be distributed throughout the air, in food and water sources, or from person to person (Das, S, VK Kataria). These biological agents can sometimes travel through a population completely undetected. The symptoms of bioterrorism attacks can vary from person to person. These symptoms can take weeks or even months before they are ever noticed; by this time the attack could end up being fatal (MedlinePlus). The agents used in bioterrorism that are focused on the most by biosecurity are anthrax, the plague, and viral hemorrhagic fevers because they can be very easily accessed. There is not one full proof way to prevent biological warfare but vaccinations exist for certain agents that are commonly used in bioterrorism attacks such as smallpox (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Anthrax bacteria is one of the leading agents used in large-scale biological warfare and can be contracted in 3 ways. Anthrax spores can enter the skin of an individual through a cut or laceration on the skin causing swollen, itchy bumps. In most cases, contrary to what one might believe, the sore is not painful. Anthrax, when released into the atmosphere, can be inhaled. Early symptoms are similar to those of a common cold or flu such as coughing and sneezing. Within less than a week the symptoms can worsen and the person can experience chest pains, headache, and a blue tint of the skin because of a lack of oxygen (Mayo Clinic).In most cases, for children, the inhalation of anthrax can quickly become fatal. Ingesting Anthrax through undercook food or unsanitary food can lead to symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and fever. Some people may experience sores in their mouths and throats and swelling of their necks. The incubation period for all forms of anthrax is usually less than 2 weeks, although it can be as long as 2 months depending on the extent of exposure (Selis).

A likely target of biological warfare is a largely populated city or a densely packed area such as a stadium or a downtown area. For the terrorist, an advantage of bioterrorism is that in the chaos of an attack they can very easily get away and it can be hard to track down the culprit of the attack (Bravata). Another advantage of using biological warfare over traditional warfare is that the biological agents such as anthrax can be more easily made in a lab and cost less than more traditional weapons such as guns (Centers for Disease Prevention and Control). It is likely that some countries such as Iraq and Pakistan still mass produce dangerous biological agents to support known terrorist groups. Now with the advances in technology, it is very likely that terrorist groups can launch large-scale bioterrorism attacks (Toyin).

Bioterrorism can have long-lasting emotional and behavioral effects on the victims of the attacks. Emotional consequences of a terrorist attack can include short-term distress and anxiety as well as symptoms of psychiatric disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder. Behavioral effects include actions such as developing bad habits to help cope with the fear and other emotional consequences associated with an attack. Behavioral consequences of bioterrorism attacks include new addictions to tobacco, alcohol, or other types of drugs or toxic substances, and avoiding a particular area or isolating of oneself from a specific population or demographic following the event of such attacks (Bradley).

A sense of fear among civilians can develop as they hear about the events on the television and through other forms of mainstream media. Knowing exactly how the public will act in response to a bioterrorist event is unclear. The U.S. Department of Defense estimates that an attack from a biological weapon would result in five psychological issues for every one physical issue while other estimates of the ratio of psychological issues to physical issues range from 4 to 1 to as high as 50 to 1(Das, S, VK Kataria). The United States government has taken steps in the prevention of biological warfare, but the laws and policies put in place often go unenforced. In the early 1950’s the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention created the Epidemic Intelligence Service to investigate unusual disease outbreaks in the United States.

In 1972 many countries including the United States signed the Biological Weapons Convention that prohibits stock pilling biological agents for military purposes (Grundmann). About a half dozen letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to politicians in the United States following the 9/11 attack on the twin towers in New York. Since the anthrax attacks, the United States government has spent an estimated sixty-million dollars on bio-defense. Additional funding that was authorized in 2002, has helped the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention invest in research to combat the dangers of biological warfare (Leonard).

The events that took place on September 11, 2001, further advanced the need to enhance the security of the United States. Congress responded to the attack by legislating the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 which President Bush signed into law June 12, 2002 (Food and Drug Administration). The law allows the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to have the authority to protect the nation's food supply against the threat of intentional contamination.

The Food and Drug Administration is responsible for developing and implementing these food safety laws (Severs). Two of the main laws state that policies regarding biological weapons should prevent any biological weapon attack, and offer a response after a biological attack. While each is important on its own, together they make an effective, uniform plan against the use of biological warfare (Bravata).

The first responders to a bioterrorism event would be public health officials and healthcare workers. In many cases, especially in more rural areas, diagnosis of the problem may be delayed, because medical providers and are not trained to identify and treat a patient with the disease agents of a particular attack (Guillemin). Effective medical treatment may be restricted, and the possibility of a successful treatment may be constricted because of the prolonged exposure to biological agents.The speed response to an attack could be the difference between life and death, as well as controlling a disease. A common misconception is that you can take antibiotics reduce your risk of contracting diseases from bio-terroristic attacks but you should never take antibiotics unless your doctor tells you to. Overtaking antibiotics can actually make certain forms of bacteria difficult to treat. Another misconstruction is that because microbes, toxic chemicals, and pathogens can be released in a gaseous state, you should buy emergency gas masks. Gas masks would not be very effective in the event of biological warfare as they are designed for only short time use. When handled inaccurately, the masks can actually be hazardous and result in injury or suffocation (Selis).

The past two decades have seen a tremendous increase in the use of biological agents for purposes of releasing such substances to harm the public. The United States has been disputing that commercial patents and military defense must be safeguarded and the investigation of biological agents within a state should not be communicated (Guillemin). The United States bio-defence effort has made significant advances in understanding the health and wellness threats associated with bioterrorism attacks, and have made further efforts to protect the citizens of the United States from bio-terroristic risk.

The Ebola outbreak managed to make its way inside of the U.S despite claims made by the government to assure United States citizens that there is no chance of the disease infiltrating the country (Leonard). According to the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, all category A agents including Anthrax and the Plague are of major concern because they are easy to produce (Grundmann). The lack of sufficient medical countermeasures against certain biological agents and the inefficient capability to manufacture medical countermeasures during a crisis is the United States’ first concern. The security of a country is always debatable as humans are always subject to accidents, miscalculations, and incomplete information (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

Bioterrorism is mostly used in developing countries but has recently proven to be a significant threat to the United States. Bioterrorism strikes, no matter how massive or inconsequential they are can have long-lasting effects on a population of people. They also can lead to the swift decline of a population if not properly taken care of. Though the United States has taken extensive measures to prevent such attacks, there is still a lot more to be done in the prevention and the ability to effectively respond to such attacks. Knowing exactly when an attack will take place or the magnitude of an attack will never be entirely calculable but knowing how to properly act in the event of such attacks can save a significant amount of lives.