Biological Disasters and Biological Weapons

Abstract

Biological weapons are also recognized as the “Germ Weapons”. They are with immense capabilities of infections results of which vary from disease, incapacitate and finally kill the animals (including human being) and the plants. The biological toxins or infectious microbial agents (bacteria, viruses, insects, and fungi) constitute biological weapons. The biological weapons are the living organisms or the entities with capability of replication. The viruses may be included in the “Entities with capability of replication” (which are not universally considered accepted as "alive"). The insects are well known for “Entomological warfare”. Epidemic and pandemic disasters are the results of biological weapons. An epidemic biological disaster is concerned with unusual increase in the number of incidents of an infectious disease which already exists in a certain region or population. A pandemic biological disaster is concerned with epidemic of disease that has spread across a large region. The warfare like nuclear warfare, chemical warfare and radiological warfare joins with biological warfare and make “CBRN-Defense” (Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense). The last century is witnessing the death of more than five hundred million people through the infectious diseases. Some of these deaths were through the deliberate release of pathogens or toxins, mostly. Human curiosity for the biology of disease causing microbial agents (viruses, bacteria and toxins) is increasing day by day. It is legitimate to fear that modified pathogens could constitute devastating agents for biological warfare. In practical sense biotechnologies and their products often interact with each other and one another. The process of convergence of recent developments in biotechnology with other emerging technologies holds tremendous promise but also increases the possibilities for misuse of biotechnology. That is to say, the convergence of technological developments could affect the development, production or use of bioweapons and thereby challenge governance approaches that aim to prevent the proliferation of bioweapons to both states and non-state actors. The typical solution for solving the problems of biological weapons lies in measures to end their production and application by various countries and even by individuals.