Biological weapon facts for kids
A biological weapon is a special kind of weapon. It uses tiny living things called pathogens (like bacteria or viruses) or toxins (poisons) to make people very sick or even kill them. People also call them bio-weapons. Using these weapons in a fight or war is known as biological warfare.
Contents
What are the parts of a biological weapon?
A biological weapon usually has two main parts.
The first part is the biological agent. This is the tiny living thing or poison that is supposed to make people sick. It's also called a bio-agent.
The second part is the delivery system. This is how the biological agent gets to the people it's meant to infect. It's how the agent is spread so people can be exposed to it.
Some bio-agents can be "weaponized." This means they are changed to make them even more dangerous. For example, scientists might change a pathogen's genes. This could make the pathogen deadlier or harder to treat with usual antidotes or medicine. Some bio-agents can also be changed to make them easier to store, spread, or use as weapons.
As of 2016, there were more than 1,200 different kinds of bio-agents that could possibly be turned into weapons.
What are some examples of biological agents?
Experts have listed many biological agents and toxins that could be used as weapons. Some have even been used in the past. These include anthrax, bubonic plague, smallpox, and ricin.
Bacterial agents
These are tiny living things called bacteria that can cause sickness.
| Pathogen | Disease | What makes it dangerous? |
|---|---|---|
| Bacillus anthracis | Anthrax | This was made into a weapon by the U.S., Soviet Union, and Iraq. |
| Brucella species | Brucellosis | Brucella suis was the first bio-agent made into a weapon by the U.S. in 1954. These bacteria can easily spread through the air. |
| Yersinia pestis | Bubonic or pneumonic plague | This disease killed 60% of Europe's people in the 1300s. The lung form (pneumonic plague) is deadly if antibiotics are not given quickly. It was made into a weapon by the U.S. and Soviet Union during the Cold War. |
| Vibrio cholerae | Cholera | This could be spread by putting it into water supplies. |
| Shigella dysenteriae; Some species of Escherichia coli |
Dysentery | These could be spread by putting them into food supplies. |
| Coxiella burnetii | Q fever | Only one bacterium is needed to infect a person, which is very few. It can live on surfaces for a long time and in many temperatures. It was made into a weapon by the U.S. between 1942-1969. |
| Francisella tularensis | Tularemia | This is very easy to catch. The bacteria are found in nature. It was made into a weapon by the U.S. between 1942-1969. |
| Rickettsia prowazekii | Typhus | Many people die if this is not treated. It can be spread through the air. |
| Staphylococcus aureus | Many | This could be spread by putting it into food or through the air. Some types are hard to treat with antibiotics. |
Viral agents
These are tiny viruses that can cause sickness.
| Pathogen | Disease | What makes it dangerous? |
|---|---|---|
| Alphaviruses | Many | These can cause many types of brain swelling. Only a very small amount is needed to cause infection. They are easily spread through the air. |
| Filoviridae and Arenaviridae viruses | Many | These cause severe fevers with bleeding, like Ebola virus and Lassa fever. They can be spread through the air and have very high death rates. |
| Variola major | Smallpox | This is very easy to catch and spreads easily through the air. It killed 20-40% of people who got it. It was completely gotten rid of in the 1970s, but some labs still have samples. |
Biological toxins
These are poisons made by living things.
| Toxin | Where it comes from | What it causes | What makes it dangerous? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Botulinum | Clostridium botulinum | Botulism | This is one of the deadliest poisons known. It was made into a weapon by the U.S. between 1942-1969. |
| Ricin | Castor oil plant | Ricin poisoning | This can be made at home. It is very poisonous no matter how it gets into the body. |
How are biological agents delivered?
In the past, countries have created many ways to spread biological agents to people. These ways have included:
- Bombs, missiles, hand grenades, and rockets that had the biological agent inside.
- Tanks that could spray bio-agents from airplanes, cars, trucks, and boats.
- Sprayers that create a fine mist (aerosol sprayers).
- Brushes used to contaminate surfaces with bio-agents.
- Ways of putting agents into food and clothing.
What are some examples of biological weapons being used?
A biological agent by itself is not a weapon. A delivery system by itself is also not a weapon. A true biological weapon needs both: the bio-agent to make people sick and a system to deliver it.
Here are some examples of biological weapons that have been used throughout history:
| Year | Bio-Agent Used | Delivery System | Used By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1346 | Yersinia pestis (plague) | Dead bodies of plague victims | Tartar army to attack Crimea |
| 1763 | Variola major (smallpox) | Blankets from smallpox victims | British soldiers to attack Native Americans |
| 1940s | Yersinia pestis (plague) | Plague-infected ticks dropped from airplanes | Japan to attack China during World War II |
| 1941 | Vibrio cholerae (cholera) | Contaminated food & water | Japan to attack China |
| 2001 | Bacillus anthracis (anthrax) | Mailed letters | Terrorists to attack U.S. politicians and news stations |
| 2013 | Ricin | Mailed letters | Terrorists to attack U.S. President Barack Obama and a U.S. Senator |
Related pages
Images for kids
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A culture of Bacillus anthracis, the bacteria that causes anthrax.
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The Biological Weapons Convention, an agreement to stop using biological weapons.
See also
In Spanish: Agente biológico para niños
