BIOTERRORISM

Bioterrorism

Bioterrorism

A bioterrorism attack is the deliberate release of viruses, bacteria, or other germs (agents) used to cause illness or death in people, animals, or plants. These agents are typically found in nature, but it is possible that they could be changed to increase their ability to cause disease, make them resistant to current medicines, or to increase their ability to be spread into the environment.

Since the attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, leaders in the U.S. intelligence, diplomatic, and law enforcement communities have concurred that terrorism currently poses the most serious threat to American national security. Understanding the causes, motivations, and determinants of terrorist behavior poses an enormous challenge in countering that threat, leading to a heightened interest in the “psychology of terrorism.” This entry focuses on the psychological dimensions of terrorist behavior, deemphasizes the analysis of sociologically based explanations (sometimes referred to as root causes) or macrolevel economic and political theories, and does not address the psychological effects of terrorism.

Bioterrorism Public Health Problem in U.S

The specter of bioterrorism-long the subject of who-dun-it fiction and wellintentioned but inconclusive policy-making-became a terrifying reality for the United States in October 2001. Less than a month after the worst act of terrorism committed against the United States, and less than two weeks

After the United States began waging war against the Taliban in Afghanistan, Americans confronted the malevolent use of microbes to inflict death, illness, fear, and economic damage on the United States. The anthrax crisis developed slowly into a full-blown nightmare as each day seemed to bring new cases, terror, and questions about how ill-prepared the country was for the malignancy of bioterrorism.

The United States is still coming to grips-politically and psychologically-with the perpetration of bioterrorism within its borders. Speculating about the impact of the anthrax attacks on political, economic, or legal areas is, thus, fraught with difficulties. As a veteran of biological weapons and bioterrorism discourse prior to the anthrax attacks, I think it is important, even in this fluid time, to engage in preliminary examination of the possible effects of the recent bioterrorism on the relationship between public health and international law explored in this issue of the Chicago Journal of International Law.

There has been much publicity about the threat of bioterrorist attacks in the United States. Usually, the agent cited as the most likely to be used is the smallpox virus. The federal government has recommended that only certain public health and health care workers be vaccinated. If a major outbreak of smallpox were to occur however, the country would need to rely on more than just public health and health care workers.

Instead, members of all critical areas of public service, such as police officers and fire/rescue personnel would be needed and so, they too, should be vaccinated.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have published a list of disease that are of the highest concern as bioterrorism agents. Each agent has one or more of the following characteristics: it can be easily spread from ...