Anthrax weaponization is the development and deployment of the bacterium Bacillus anthracis or, more commonly, its spore (referred to as anthrax), as a biological weapon. As a biological weapon, anthrax has been used in biowarfare and bioterrorism since 1914.[1] However, in 1975 the Biological Weapons Convention prohibited the "development, production and stockpiling"[2] of biological weapons. It has since been used in bioterrorism.[1][3]
Anthrax spores can cause infection from inhalation, skin contact, ingestion or injection and when untreated can lead to death.[4][5] Likely delivery methods of weaponized anthrax include aerial dispersal or dispersal through livestock, notable bioterrorism uses include the 2001 anthrax attacks and an incident in 1993 by the Aum Shinrikyo group in Japan.[3]
- ^ a b "A History of Anthrax | Anthrax". CDC. 2019-02-14. Retrieved 2020-01-30.
- ^ "Biological Weapons – UNODA". Retrieved 2020-01-30.
- ^ a b Cole, Leonard A. (2010-11-08), "Anthrax as a Weapon of War and Terrorism", in Bergman, Nicholas H. (ed.), Bacillus anthracis and Anthrax, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., pp. 295–308, doi:10.1002/9780470891193.ch15, ISBN 978-0-470-89119-3
- ^ Webb, G. F. (2003-04-15). "A silent bomb: The risk of anthrax as a weapon of mass destruction". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 100 (8): 4355–4356. Bibcode:2003PNAS..100.4355W. doi:10.1073/pnas.0830963100. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 153555. PMID 12682291.
- ^ Antosia, Robert E.; Cahill, John D. (eds.). Handbook of Bioterrorism and Disaster Medicine. ISBN 1-281-10738-7. OCLC 1136318083.