Invisible Death.

The threat of Germ Warfare

Imagine a terrorist attack with weapons you can't see, hear, or smell!

When President Clinton admits he stays awake at night worrying about the risk of germ warfare, or biological weapons, the world stops and listens: It's "highly likely" that a terrorist group will threaten to unleash a germ or chemical attack somewhere in the U.S. in the next few years, Clinton told The New York Times in January.

But he cautioned Americans not to be afraid and asked the U.S. Congress to spend $2.8 billion to beef up security and research technology to combat germ and chemical warfare.

Germ warfare hasn't touched U.S. soil yet, though in the last year American citizens with grudges to settle made over 100 false threats to use anthrax, a livestock disease that can be turned into a lethal germ weapon. In March 1995, thousands of Tokyo subway commuters collapsed and 12 died when a Japanese cult dispersed sarin gas, a toxic chemical, in a subway station. Though police quickly arrested more than 200 cult members, the subway terror was a wake-up call to governments around the world.

What is this new arsenal of invisible weapons? How real is the threat to the U.S.? Read on.

Q. What are germ and chemical weapons?

A. Biological weapons are made with deadly bacteria and viruses (disease-causing microorganisms). They make people sick or kill them. Germs such as the anthrax bacteria and smallpox virus (see p. 11) are grown in laboratories. Then, germs are released into the air. Unlike missiles, germ weapons are relatively cheap to make, easy to obtain, and hard to detect in busy hubs like subways or airports.

Chemical weapons are poisonous gases that can kill within minutes or hours after contact. The gases can be loaded into bombs, artillery shells, and land mines. The most common type of chemical weapons are nerve agents, which can poison the body's central nervous system. Mustard or blistering agents make up another class of chemical weapons.

U.S. experts suspect at least 17 countries of having developed these weapons--though they're banned by international law.

Q. Why does germ warfare pose a crisis now?

A. In their natural state, most germs are fragile--killed easily by heat, sunlight, and the body's immune system. But today, scientists are armed with technology to produce stronger bacteria and viruses. Genetic engineering lets scientists control germs' genes, information that instructs organisms how to grow (see SW 1/11/99). Scientists can transplant genes from one germ into another, creating "super strains."

When such technology falls into the wrong hands, the result is frightening. "Germ scientists in Russia have tried to combine the smallpox and ebola viruses using genetic engineering," says biological weapons expert Dr. Thomas Inglesby of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland.

Q. Can anyone make biological weapons?

A. Fortunately, no. "Bacteria and viruses need very specific conditions in order to thrive, like the right amount of light and heat," says Dr. Ali Khan, a bioterrorism expert at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia.

To isolate the anthrax bacteria, for example, one would have to locate an animal infected with the rare lethal strain of anthrax. The bacteria would have to undergo an elaborate lab process to turn anthrax into a powder of the exact particle size necessary to lodge in human lungs. Then, one would need a device (like an unmanned airplane or crop sprayer) that is capable of dispersing enough anthrax to injure or kill many people.

Q. What is the most dangerous biological weapon?

A. Smallpox, according to Khan. "It has a high death rate, is wildly contagious, and there's no treatment for it." Smallpox is transmitted from person to person through personal contact or sneezing, for example. But since the disease was wiped out by the 1970s, many people haven't been vaccinated for smallpox; those who've been vaccinated may have lost their immunity, or natural protection.

Q. What is the U.S. doing to strike back?

A. The President has recommended a number of strategies:

[check] Complete the Human Genome Project, a massive government research effort to identify every human gene, including those of microbes like anthrax and smallpox (see SW 3/22/99). Scientists can then develop new vaccines to combat viruses, and antibiotics, drugs to fight bacterial infections.

[check] Produce and store enough antibiotics and vaccines in medical centers to treat and protect citizens from germ warfare.

[check] Vaccinate police and public health officials. Since a smallpox vaccine can actually make people sick, health officials would probably limit the vaccine to those at greatest risk of exposure.

[check] Raise awareness about the signs and symptoms of germ warfare. Most germ agents don't kill instantly.

[check] Develop protective clothing for soldiers, police, and others at highest risk.

[check] Develop devices similar to metal detectors to detect germ agents transported through airports and public transportation systems.

Q. How can I find out what my community is doing to guard against germ and chemical weapons?

A. Contact your mayor's office or local health department. Check these Web sites for more information:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/bioterr. htm

The Johns Hopkins Center for Civilian Biodefense Studies

www.hopkins-biodefense.org

Silent Killers

Germs and Chemicals

                              HOW IT'S SPREAD

ANTHRAX                       Anthrax is spread
(Bacillus anthracis)          to humans through
Deadly bacteria found         eating or handling
in farm animals such          contaminated meat. But
as goats and cows.            it's most dangerous
                              when inhaled.

SMALLPOX                      Smallpox is an airborne
(Orthopoxvirus variola)       virus passed from
A contagious virus            person to person by
wiped out 20 years            coughing or hand
ago. But tiny amounts         contact.
have been preserved in
labs around the world.

PLAGUE                        Plague is spread to
(Yersinia pestis)             humans through
A disease caused by           infected rodents like
the highly contagious         squirrels and rats.
bacteria Yersinia             Plague can also be
pestis, commonly              spread by airborne
found in rodents.             droplets from coughing.

BOTULISM                      People get infected by
(Clostridium botulinum)       contaminated canned
A rare but serious            foods. As a germ
disease. Bacteria thrive      weapon, botulism can be
in places with little         used in food poisoning
oxygen, like soil or          or dispersed in crop
canned foods.                 sprayers.

SARIN NERVE                   Sarin gas can be sprayed
AGENT                         by canisters or crop
Satin is a colorless          sprayers, or loaded into
gas. A single milligram       bombs, artillery shells,
(about the weight of a        and land mines.
grain of salt) is enough
to kill one person.

VX NERVE                      Same as sarin gas
AGENT
Much more deadly
than satin gas, VX can
cause death within
minutes after contact
with human skin.

                              HOW IT WORKS

ANTHRAX                       When inhaled, anthrax
(Bacillus anthracis)          lodges in the lungs. The
Deadly bacteria found         bacteria produces cold-like
in farm animals such          symptoms in three
as goats and cows.            days to three weeks. If
                              left untreated, anthrax
                              is fatal.

SMALLPOX                      It can take 10 to 12
(Orthopoxvirus variola)       days before smallpox
A contagious virus            symptoms become
wiped out 20 years            recognizable. High fever,
ago. But tiny amounts         headaches, and rashes
have been preserved in        are the first signs of a
labs around the world.        smallpox infection.

PLAGUE                        Plague attacks lymph
(Yersinia pestis)             nodes, organs that ward
A disease caused by           off infections. Symptoms
the highly contagious         include high fever and
bacteria Yersinia             extreme weakness, and
pestis, commonly              take from one to six days
found in rodents.             to appear after infection.

BOTULISM                      Botulinum poisons the
(Clostridium botulinum)       nervous system, causing
A rare but serious            symptoms such as
disease. Bacteria thrive      blurred vision and
in places with little         extreme weakness.
oxygen, like soil or          Symptoms can take up
canned foods.                 to two days to appear.

SARIN NERVE                   When inhaled, sarin gas
AGENT                         attacks the central
Satin is a colorless          nervous system,
gas. A single milligram       paralyzing nerves that
(about the weight of a        help control breathing.
grain of salt) is enough      Symptoms can occur
to kill one person.           within minutes or hours.

VX NERVE                      VX seeps into the body
AGENT                         through the skin or by
Much more deadly              inhalation. It attacks the
than satin gas, VX can        brain and spinal cord,
cause death within            causing heavy sweating,
minutes after contact         drooling, seizures, and
with human skin.              finally, death.

                              HOW IT'S TREATED

ANTHRAX                       Anthrax is treatable if
(Bacillus anthracis)          caught within the first
Deadly bacteria found         two days of infection,
in farm animals such          High doses of
as goats and cows.            antibiotics like penicillin
                              prove effective.

SMALLPOX                      No treatment for
(Orthopoxvirus variola)       smallpox exists. A
A contagious virus            vaccine does exist but
wiped out 20 years            supply is limited.
ago. But tiny amounts
have been preserved in
labs around the world.

PLAGUE                        If caught early, plague is
(Yersinia pestis)             treatable with common
A disease caused by           antibiotics like
the highly contagious         streptomycin. Otherwise,
bacteria Yersinia             plague can kill within
pestis, commonly              days of infection.
found in rodents.

BOTULISM                      If found early, botulism
(Clostridium botulinum)       can be treated with
A rare but serious            antitoxin drugs that
disease. Bacteria thrive      neutralize the poisoning.
in places with little
oxygen, like soil or
canned foods.

SARIN NERVE                   Sarin-gas poisoning can
AGENT                         be treated with an
Satin is a colorless          immediate injection of
gas. A single milligram       two chemicals called HI-6
(about the weight of a        and atropine. These
grain of salt) is enough      react with your body to
to kill one person.           reverse damage.

VX NERVE                      Gas masks and heavy,
AGENT                         protective clothes are
Much more deadly              used to protect against
than satin gas, VX can        VX poisoning. Treatment
cause death within            includes immediate
minutes after contact         injection with HI-6 and
with human skin.              atropine.