What is a biological weapon?
Biological agents are organisms or toxins that can kill or incapacitate people, livestock and crops. The three basic groups of biological agents most likely to be used as weapons are bacteria, viruses and toxins.1. Bacteria are small, free-living organisms that reproduce by simple division and are easy to grow. The diseases they produce often respond to treatment with antibiotics.2. Viruses are organisms that require living cells in which to reproduce and are intimately dependent upon the body they infect. Viruses produce diseases that generally do not respond to antibiotics. However, antiviral drugs are sometimes effective.3. Toxins are poisonous substances found in and extracted from living plants, animals or microorganisms; some toxins can be produced or altered by chemical means. Some toxins can be treated with specific antitoxins and selected drugs. Most biological agents are difficult to grow and maintain. Many break down quickly when exposed to sunlight and other environmental f
