Brucellosis Biological warfare
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Raviteja Guddeti, M.B.B.S. [2] Danitza Lukac Vishal Devarkonda, M.B.B.S[3]
Overview
Traditionally, Brucella due to its propensity for airborne transmission, low lethality, minimal mortality, and ease of manufacturing made it to be considered as a biological weapon. CDC classifies it into category B pathogen.
Biological warfare
Traditionally, Brucella due to its propensity for airborne transmission, low lethality, minimal mortality, and ease for manufacturing made it to be considered as a biological weapon . CDC classifies it into catergory B pathogen. Few of the interesting facts regarding biological warfare of brucella are:[1][2][3]
- Brucella species were weaponized by several advanced countries by the mid-20th century.
- In 1954, B. suis became the first agent weaponized by the U.S. at its Pine Bluff Arsenal in Arkansas.
- Brucella species survive well in aerosols and resist drying.
- Brucella and all other remaining biological weapons in the US arsenal were destroyed in 1971-72 when the U.S. offensive biological weapons (BW) program was discontinued.
- The United States BW program focused on three agents of the Brucella group:
- Porcine Brucellosis (Agent US)
- Bovine Brucellosis (Agent AB)
- Caprina Brucellosis (Agent AM)
- Agent US was in advanced development by the end of the Second World War.
- When the USAF wanted a biological warfare capability, the Chemical Corps offered agent US in the M114 bomblet, based after the 4-pound bursting bomblet developed for anthrax in the Second World War.
- Though the capability was developed, operational testing indicated that the weapon was less than desirable, and the USAF termed it an interim capability until replaced by a more effective biological weapon.
- The main drawbacks of the M114 with agent US was that it was incapacitating (the USAF wanted "killer" agents), the storage stability was too low to allow for storing at forward air bases, and the logistical requirements to neutralize a target were far higher than originally anticipated, requiring unreasonable logistical air support.
- Agents US and AB:
- Had a median infective dose of 500 org/person.
- The rate-of-action was believed to be 2 weeks, with a duration of action of several months.
- The lethality estimate was based on epidemiological information at 1- 2%.
- Agent AM:
- Has a median infective dose of 300 org/person.
- AM was always believed to be a more virulent disease.
- The lethality estimate was based on epidemiological information at 3%.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Brucellosis. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brucellosis. Accessed on February 1, 2016
- ↑ Vassallo DJ (1996). "The saga of brucellosis: controversy over credit for linking Malta fever with goats' milk". Lancet. 348 (9030): 804–8. PMID 8813991.
- ↑ "CDC".