Bioterrorism is the act of releasing toxic biological agents
in order to harm a group of people. In our biohazard training courses,
we’ll provide course takers with the information they’ll need to handle and
treat the effects of a bioterrorism attack. Biological agents such as viruses
and bacteria are typically found in nature, but it’s possible for them to be
altered by man for malicious intent against a country or group. These agents
are separated into three categories, A, B, and C based on how easily they can
be spread and the severity of their symptoms.
The most recent bioterrorism attack on the United States
occurred shortly after 9/11 by a series of letters sent out containing anthrax
powder. These letters arrived in two waves. The first were sent from Trenton,
New Jersey to newspapers and media in New York and Boca Raton on September 18,
2001. Only two of these letters were found, but the outbreak of anthrax
infections led to the conclusion that there had been others. Two more letters
were sent on October 9, again from Trenton, addressed to two Democratic
senators at the Capitol in Washington DC. The contaminants in these two letters
were stronger than the substance in the first set and the letters contained
approximately on gram of almost pure anthrax spores.
