Biological Attack

Biological Attack
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Abstract
A biological attack is whereby one intentionally uses some toxins and micro-organisms to spread a particular infection and death in human beings, crops, and livestock (Croddy, Armendariz & Hart, 2002). The use of biological weapons during wars and in terror attacks is mainly attributed the low cost of production that the users incur. The biological weapons are usually disseminated through contamination of food and water, explosives, and aerosol sprays. Since they cannot be noticed easily, they can strike suddenly without giving any warnings and inflict extensive morbidity and mortality, which can continue for long durations. The attacks may cause contamination of the environment and exert a lot of pressures on the emergency health services. Current concerns that entail the use of biological weapons results from the increased number of countries that have been engaging in proliferation of these types of weapons and their acquisition by different terrorist groups (Croddy, Armendariz & Hart, 2002). There is an increased need to develop biodefense and educating people about precautions and protective measures that need to be taken against the attacks.

Biological Attack
Biological weapons possess the property of wreaking mass destruction. Although it seems to be different from a chemical attack, there has always been a habit of discussing one in place of the other (Croddy, Armendariz & Hart, 2002). Most attackers may opt to use biological weapons since it is cheaper to produce, a wide range of disease-producing biological agents are easily accessible, the weapons cannot be detected easily, and they can also be transported to another location easily and without being detected by security systems.

An attack against a given population could be used to spread a disease, fear, economic damage, societal disruption, and even cause death (Croddy, Armendariz & Hart, 2002). There are two type of biological agents that may be used to attack people:
Transmissible agents- these are attacks that can be transmitted from one person to the other (such as Ebola and Smallpox), or from one animal to the other (such as foot and mouth disease) (Croddy, Armendariz & Hart, 2002).
Agents that may have a disastrous impact on those exposed to it, but they cannot be transmitted to other people or animals (such as botulinum toxin and anthrax) (Croddy, Armendariz & Hart, 2002).
Biological attacks are usually dependent upon several phases. These entail research, development and demonstration stage, producing the invasive agent on a large scale, contriving and testing the efficacy of the suitable system for distribution, and maintaining the toxic and pathogenic properties during the distribution stage, storing and stockpiling (Croddy, Armendariz & Hart, 2002). It is important for healthcare practitioners and neurologists to be familiar with the poisonous and biological agents that target the nervous system (Croddy, Armendariz & Hart, 2002). Given the incubation period of most biological weapons and their protean index, there is a likelihood that neurologists and healthcare practitioners will be on the forefront in the event of a biological attack. In that case, there is an increased need to develop biodefense and educate people about the protective measures that need to be taken against the attacks.

References
Croddy, E., Armendariz, C. & Hart, J. (2002). Chemical and Biological Warfare : a Comprehensive Survey for the Concerned Citizen. New York, NY: Springer New York.