References

Bacillus anthracis (Anthrax)
The causative agent of anthrax is the bacterium, Bacillus anthracis, the spores of which can survive in the environment for years or decades, awaiting uptake by the next host. The disease still exists in animals and humans in most countries of sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, in several southern European countries, in the Americas, and certain areas of Australia. Disease outbreaks in animals also occur sporadically in other countries. There are 3 types of anthrax in humans: cutaneous anthrax, acquired when a spore enters the skin through a cut or an abrasion; gastrointestinal tract anthrax, contracted from eating contaminated food, primarily meat from an animal that died of the disease; and pulmonary (inhalation) anthrax from breathing in airborne anthrax spores. Germany, the Soviet Union, Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, Iraq and the United States weaponized anthrax. France conducted BW-related research into anthrax weaponization during World War II.

Brucella melitensis / Brucella suis (Brucellosis)
Brucellosis is a systemic zoonotic disease caused by one of four species of bacteria: Brucella melitensis, B. abortus, B. suis, and B. canis; virulence for humans decreases somewhat in the order given. Brucella species long have been considered potential candidates for use in biological warfare. The organisms are readily lyophilized, perhaps enhancing their infectivity. Under selected environmental conditions (for example, darkness, cool temperatures, high CO2), persistence for up to 2 years has been documented. When used as a biological warfare agent, Brucella would most likely be delivered by the aerosol route; the resulting infection would be expected to mimic natural disease. The United States, Canada and the Soviet Union conducted BW-related research with brucellosis.

Burkholderia Mallei (Glanders)
Formerly classified as Pseudomonas mallei, the organism is a small, aerobic, non-motile, gram-negative rod bacterium. The disease in humans is rare or absent in most parts of the world. Humans acquire the disease by direct contact with infected animals or contaminated animal tissue, the agent entering the body through skin lesions or though conjunctival, oral or nasal mucous membranes. The disease is not considered to be infectious by aerosol exposure. Germany, the Soviet Union and Japan weaponized glanders. The United States conducted BW-related research with glanders.

Burkholderia Pseudomallei (Melioidosis)
The bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei causes the infectious disease melioidosis, also called Whitmore's disease. Formerly classified as Pseudomonas Pseudomallei, the organism is a small, aerobic, motile, gram-negative rod. The disease is prevalent in Southeast Asia, particularly in wet rice-growing areas, and less commonly, in northern Australia. Humans become infected through skin lesions as a result of contact with contaminated soil or water. Infection can also occur by aspiration or ingestion of contaminated water or by inhalation of contaminated dust. Person to person transmission may occasionally occur, but is rare. The Soviet Union and the United States conducted BW-related research with Burkholderia pseudomallei.

Francisella Tularensis (Tularemia)
Francisella tularensis, the organism that causes tularemia, is one of the most infectious pathogenic bacteria known, requiring inoculation or inhalation of as few as 10 organisms to cause disease. It is considered to be a dangerous potential biological weapon because of its extreme infectivity, ease of dissemination and substantial capacity to cause illness and death. During World War II, the potential of F. tularensis as a biological weapon, was studied by the Japanese as well as by the United States and its allies. Tularemia was weaponized by the Soviet Union and the United States. Canada is known to have conducted research with F. Tularensis. Tularemia was one of several BW that were stockpiled by the U.S. military in the late 1960s. The Soviet Union continued weapons production of antibiotic and vaccine resistant strains into the early 1990s.

Yersinia Pestis (Plague)
Plague, the disease caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis (Y. pestis), has had a profound impact on human history, where outbreaks had resulted in losses between 50 and 60 percent. Advances in living conditions, public health and antibiotic therapy make such natural pandemics improbable, but plague outbreaks following an attack with a biological weapon do pose a serious threat. In the 1950s and 1960s, the U.S. and Soviet BW programs developed techniques to directly aerosolize plague particles, a technique that leads to pneumonic plague, an otherwise uncommon, highly lethal and potentially contagious form of plague. A modern attack would most probably occur via aerosol dissemination of Y. pestis, and the ensuing outbreak would be almost entirely pneumonic plague. More than 10 institutes and thousands of scientists were reported to have worked with plague in the former Soviet Union. Given the availability of Y. pestis in microbe banks around the world, reports that techniques for mass production and aerosol dissemination of plague have been developed, the high fatality rate in untreated cases and the potential for secondary spread, a biological attack with plague is a serious concern. In addition to the United States and the Soviet Union, Japan weaponized plague during World War II and Canada and the United Kingdom conducted BW-related research with Y. pestis.