BIOLOGICAL DISASTER: ARE WE READY? 

Biological weapons popularly known as the BWs deliver toxins and micro-organisms, such as viruses and bacteria, so as to deliberately inflict disease among people, animals and agriculture. This type of biological attacks can result in destruction of crops, temporarily discomforting a small community, killing large numbers of people or other outcomes. Human kind has long been behest by diseases that spread rapidly among a population with devastating effects. How was such dangerous pestilences were spread was unknown until the nineteenth century and was attributed to various natural and supernatural forces. The use of the techniques of epidemiology (the study of disease occurrence and distribution) helped to solve these mysteries. Moreover epidemiological studies have had practical benefits by leading to an understanding of how to control the spread of infectitious diseases. When these diseases take a havoc scale with the capability of eradicating human masses within months, we term it as biological disaster. 

The way that a biological weapon is used depends on several factors. These include: the agent itself; its preparation; its durability in the environment and route of infection. As known some agents can be disbursed as aerosols, which can be inhaled and infect a susceptible spot on the skin like a cut or wound. The attackers can also contaminate food or water with some agents biologically.

Biological disasters can happen due to humans intentionally or can be caused unknowingly. The transmission when remain unchecked, it leads to huge death toll. Some pathogenic micro-organisms are transmitted by one major mode, whereas others can be transmitted by several modes. As stated earlier pathogenic micro-organisms may be disseminated by food, water, aerosols (micro-organisms that are dispersed in the air) or the bites of various infected arthropods or other animals. They may also be by, direct contacts with an infected person or animal or by contact with inanimate objects (famites, singular fomes or fomites) contaminated by an infected hosts. Epidemiological studies have not only concentrated on the transmission of causative agents of diseases but have also revealed that the host population itself can play an important role in determining whether an infectitious disease will be pandemic (having a large number of cases that occur on a global scale within a short time period); epidemic ( having many cases in a particular geographic region within a short time period); endemic (having a low incidence but constantly present in a particular geographic region) or sporadic (having only an occasional occurrence).

Biological weapons have a long history of use. In 1346, the invading Tarter Army catapulted the bodies of plaque victims into the Crimean Peninsula city of Kaffa and infected its citizens. In modern times, in 2001 anthrax letter attacks in the United States of America infected 22 people and killed five. The main thing in the case of biological weapon or as popularly called weapons of mass destruction, the release of the deadly agent is not commonly detectable. There are systems today, to detect biological agents, but most have delay between acquiring the agent and identifying it. Though the precautions are taken, yet they happen and so before going into the debate: “Are We Ready?” let me discuss about some deadly strains of Viruses, Bacteria and other micro-organisms and their modus-operandi. Pathogenic Micro-organisms transmitted doesn’t necessarily depend on the knowledge of the nature of the micro-organism although this is very useful. For instance, in 1855 it was John Snow, who demonstrated clearly that the causative agent of cholera was transmitted by drinking water contaminated with human faeces, in a classic epidemiological study in which he traced the source of a London Cholera epidemic to the broad street pump in Golden Square.

Viruses are of two types : RNA (Ribo-nucleic acids) and DNA (Deoxy-ribonucleic acids). There are several disease causing Viruses (Family: Tymovirus, Reoviridae, Picornaviridae,Tombuovirus,Retroviridae,Orthomyxoviridae, Coronaviridae, Parvoviridae,Adenoviridae,Poxviridae etc), which are either RNA(Icosaderal or Helical ) or DNA (Icosaderal or Complex). Disease symptoms in the host due to Virus infection vary from none to massive destruction of the infected cells leading to cell death. In cell tissue culture, groups of killed cells (Plaques) have been used in the enumeration of viruses because the number of plaques is proportional to the number of infectious virus particles present. Each Virion gives rise to a single plaque just as a bacterium gives rise to a single colony. Other effects of cell infection of Viruses include formation of giant cell (polykaryotes), creation of genetic changes such as chromosomal breakage, induction of interferon production by the infected cell that prevents infection of healthy cells, appearance of pocks or necrotic lesions on the chorioallantoic membrane of embroyonated eggs and formation of inclusion bodies.

Viruses are infectious agents so small that they can only be seen at magnifications provided by the electron microscope. They are 10-100 times smaller than the most bacteria’s, with an approximate size range of 20 to 300nm (nano-meter). Thus they pass through the filters, which don’t permit the passage of most bacteria! Viruses are also incapable of independent growth in artificial media. THIS QUALITY DO MAKE IT QUITE HARD TO USE IT AS AN BIOLOGICAL WEAPON. They can grow only in animal and plant cell and micro-organisms. They reproduce in this cells by replication process in which many copies or replicas are made of each viral component and are then assembled to produce a progeny virus. Thus virus are referred to as obligate intracellular parasites. Viruses largely lack metabolic machinery of their own to generate energy or to synthesize proteins. They depend on the host cells to carry out these vital functions. Virus in transit from one cell to another is small packets of genes. The virus genetic material is either DNA or RNA but the Virus doesn’t have both. The nucleic acid is enclosed in a highly specialized protein coat of varying design. The coat protects the genetic material when the virus is outside of any host cell and serves as an entry into another host cell. The structurally complete mature and infectitious virus is called a Virion. It’s during reproduction in the host cells, VIRUSES CAUSE DISEASES. Some of the diseases that are casued by Viruses are: Tumours, upper – respiratory diseases, Type1- Fever Blisters, Type-2 Genital Herpes infectitious mononucleosis, shingles, Chicken Pox, Small Pox, Poliomyetitis, Common Cold. Encephalities, Mumps, Influenza, Sarcoma, Rabies, AIDS, Hepatitis, Dengue etc.

So, though these Viruses are difficult to make and duplicate, but if done and if passed to the living organisms Unknowingly or intentionally or accidentally… IT CAN CAUSE THE DEATH OF THOUSANDS.

Its that time, we term it as a “BIOLOGICAL DISASTER”. Its not only Viruses, but biological disasters are also caused by Fungi, Algae, Protozoa, Bacteria, Cynaobacteria, Mycoplasmas, Rickettsiae ( causative agents of Edidemic Typhus, Rocky Mountain Fever, Siberian Tick Typhus, Boutonneuse Faver, Rickettsial Pox, Scrub Typhus, Trench Fever and Q- Fever – With most of it’s distribution worldwide).

Some of the species of Bacteria, which may take the form of the biological disasters are given below. Even most attackers, use them to make weapons professionally. The names of the strains are:

Bordetella pertusis (Whooping Cough), Mycobacterium Leprae (Leprosy), Salmonella typhi (Typhoid), Shigella dysenteriae (Dysentry, diarrhea), Yersinia pestis (Bubonic Plaque, Pneumonic plaque), Bacillus anthraxis (Anthrax), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Skin and lung infections).

There are hundreds of species known and many unknown, some in mutated form – extremely unknown, which if released in the atmosphere can eradicate human evolution. If we do talk of Natural Disasters, then it do take the toll of millions in a localized area but the DISASTER CAUSED BY A BIOLOGICAL ENTITY have the ability to spread throughout the World and eradicate years of evolution.

It’s during that time, when we do need to control these micro-organisms. The control methods depend on the intensity of the attack. If it is biological weapon, then if the target is small, they generally use agents which may not be large. Modfication of micro-organisms through selection techniques and advances of genetic engineering could alter an agent so it will function in a particular manner. Agents modified for increased pathogenicity and a shorter incubation period could result in a more severe, fast acting disease. Other changes could make treatments, vaccines or the body’s immune system useless. IMAGINE THE HORROR AND DESTRUCTION TO LIFE CAUSED!

Atlast, I am just left with only one thought: Are we ready for it?

Let us now come to the bottom of the topic: Control

The term control means reduction in numbers and/or activity of the total microbial flora. The principal reasons for controlling micro-organisms are: to prevent transmission of disease and infection, to prevent contamination by or growth of undesirable micro-organisms and to prevent deterioration and spoilage of materials by micro-organisms. Micro-organisms can be removed, inhibited or killed by various physical agents, physical processes or chemical agents. A variety of techniques and agents are available; they act in many different ways and each has it own limits of application. Control of Micro-organisms through physical agents lies with the departments of microbiology and need the effective knowledge on the subject. However these techniques can be summarized as high temperatures, thermal death time and decimal reduction time, moist heat, fractional sterilization, desiccation, low temperature, radiation methods etc.

Leaving antibiotics method and chemotherapeutic methods, the only method at our personal level is chemical agents. Given below are some methods, by which we can keep ourself safe in the case of a Biological Disaster.

i)                    Buy masks immediately, so that one can breathe clean air. There are also lots of breathing masks available in the market. It’s wise to buy it in early and keep it in your house as you never know when a biological disaster will strike. At that point of time, one needs this life saving equipment in advance.

ii)                  Sterilize your nearest environment. Sterilization means the process of destroying all forms of microbial life. ‘Sterile’ in the microbiological sense means free of micro-organsims. An object or substance is sterile or non-sterile; it can never be semi-sterile or almost sterile. You can use disinfectant (It’s a process of destroying infectitious agents), Antiseptic, Sanitizer, Germicide, Fungicides, Virucides etc in your house.

iii)                To stop microbial attack, one can regularly wash the floors and spray chemical anti-microbial agents in the drains and bathrooms. These are phenol and some phenolic compounds. The most important use is of gaseous agents to kill deadly micro-organisms. But this method needs the supervision of the specialists. Among the gaseous agents used specialists mix ethylene oxide in Carbon-dioxide or from Freon, which are now available commercially. The carbon –dioxide ethylene oxide or Freon Ethylene oxide mixtures are non-flammable and there is no altercation of the microbicidal activity of the ethylene oxide. It’s a very powerful sterilization agent. It’s used for sterilizing heat or moisture sensitive materials in hospitals, industry and laboraties has become universal.

iv)                Another important factor is water. Most transmissions take place through water too. So, in case of emergency, don’t use water from rivers or lakes or canals or ponds and if used boil it at the boiling temperature of water and then it will be ready for consumption. Boiling does kill many pathogens and micro-organisms.

Its very difficult to stop a Biological Disaster, probably as discussed; micro-organisms have the ability to mutate and take different forms. So, We need to think on these issues and act, before it’s late.

                                                                  ------ Mainak Mazumder

                                                                     Founder of  :  MAINAKSWORLD

                        http://www.geocities.com/mainaksworld/