Good Essay About History Of Bioterrorism

Biological Terrorism or Bioterrorism is the use of any biological agent in a certain population to hinder or at deter the productivity of a specific community. It can be used in a war, termed as Biological Warfare, where a biological agent was used to harm and kill the opposing population which further affects it productivity as a state. Biological Terrorism or bioterrorism are of three types—it may be in form of bacteria, virus or it can be a biological toxin. The advantages of bioterrorism include its killing efficacy, its cost effectiveness, relative ease of production and lastly, it has its own interval between dissemination to infection.
The history of biological terrorism or Bioterrorism can be traced back in the early 20th century. It was used during World War I, where anthrax and glanders are used in horses, and even in the Second World War, where in bioterrorism weapons were tested on the Chinese population living in Unit 731, Manchuria, China. In 1979, Russia has 66 fatalities due to anthrax and it was announced that anthrax was due to ingestion of contaminated meat products. In 1984, there were 751 casualties of food poisoning in Oregon and studies show that it was due to ingestion of salmonella-infected salad in more or less eight restaurants in Dales, Oregon.
Up until the 21st century where newer and more advanced technologies are present in human environment, biological terrorism or bioterrorism is still in use. One of the affected communities is New York in United States where in the biological agent used was found in mails. Anthrax came from the mails are contaminated and anyone who tries touching it would be infected.

Work Cited

The University of Texas. Safety and security requirements for select agent research. University of Texas, Health Science Center at Houston.