Biological warfare

A review of Lydersen, Karl. The Ebola Explosion Discover January/February 2015 p.7-10 “The Ebola Explosion” is an article explaining what the ebola virus is and why it is so dangerous. The ebola virus is a virus that started in 1976 in the Democratic Republic of Congo and then died off and came back just recently even worse than before. It was mainly a problem in countries in Africa but in the past year several people were diagnosed with it in the US and other countries. It affects mostly…

To most of us when thinking of bioterror attacks our minds immediately assume the worst possible apocalyptic type outcomes we can fathom. Our thoughts carry not just dilemmas but calamities of death and chaos everywhere but before destruction happens there are quitter times when a multitude of dilemmas occur. One of the most important dilemma battles from the start will be crisis management. Some others are medical (triage, quarantine, medication), communication (phones, news outlets, social…

Ebola and Marburg seem to have a very strong connection to animals. Charles Monet, who was the index case for Marburg, was surrounded by animals everywhere he went; monkeys lived near his house and he even fed them out of his hand (Preston 8). There is strong evidence that he could have received Marburg from one of the monkeys. The monkeys that commonly carried Marburg were from Uganda (Preston 40). It appears that wherever monkeys go, Marburg and Ebola are not far behind. Not only are…

Ebola is a very sever virus that has the power to wipeout a population in the matters of days. Ebola was first discovered in zaire, Africa in 1976. This was a big deal because nobody knew what was happening and how to prevent it, even today we still don't have knowledge to do so. The matter was made worse when the viruses keep spreading because people had contact with the sick and they had no clue that was what was passing it around. This is supported by the fact the ebola has the ability to…

Before reading- While I found the cover of The Hot Zone by Richard Preston to be somewhat dull, the subtitle intrigued me. I personally am extremely interested in the subject of pathology and biology in general, and I look forward to reading this particular piece. This is the first time I have heard of the author, but I am anticipating a captivating, provocative read. The creator, Richard Preston was born on August 5th in the midst of the summer heat of 1954. He originated out of Cambridge,…

Light as a Pesticide What is a pesticide? Pesticides are substances which are used for attracting and then destroying or vindicating any kind of pests. It is a biological agent which is used to destroy pests. Pesticides are usually used for keeping pests away from plants. Pesticides are used fight insect-borne diseases and they also help to increase food production. Although pests have numerous benefits they also have few drawbacks such as possible toxicity to humans and other species. What is…

Due to the lack of supplies and hygiene in third world countries, a virus called Ebola has broke out. Ebola has caused hundreds of thousands of deaths in the past year causing nearly four thousand lives in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. With the right steps, this virus can be contained and eventually cured. Ebola is a deadly virus that first appeared in the year 1976, occurring in Sudan and the current Dominican Republic of Congo. The virus was named after a small river in the Dominican…

Richard Preston’s The Hot Zone is about the Reston virus, one of the five strands of Ebola, and its outbreak in Virginia in 1989, which startled the eastern United States. The story begins with a hot zone of the Ebola virus, Kitum Cave, in order to provide background information towards the virus and its hunger to take hold of a host. Over the course of the story Preston depicts the viral effects, emphasizes the passion of the scientist, and conveys the bravery in an almost disastrous situation.…

weaponing of a bio agent, which is the process of using an aerosol device to disseminate the bio agent in the air over a large population. Anthrax is easy to make, since it can be found in nature all around the world and anthrax has been used as a biological agent for centuries, which makes it very dangerous. Anthrax can spread through physical contact, but is not contagious. Anthrax, which is an inactive bacterium that can be found in naturally in…

Poisonous or other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare, otherwise known as the Geneva Protocol. However, the Geneva Protocol is one of the most comprehensive and arguably successful agreements to come from the time period despite being short in comparison to similar documents. The Geneva Protocol aimed to prohibit the use of “of asphyxiating, poisonous or other gases, and of all analogous liquids, materials or devices [in warfare ... as well as] bacteriological…