Mushrooms and toxic products of their vital activity), used with the help of live infected carriers of diseases (rodents, insects, etc.) or in the form of powders and suspensions in military devices and ammunition in order to cause mass diseases of people, agricultural animals and plants. It has a damaging effect for a long time. It has a latent (incubation) period, determined by laboratory tests. Microbes and toxins are difficult to detect in the external environment and can penetrate with air into unsealed shelters and rooms.

As bacterial agents, pathogens of various especially dangerous infectious diseases can be used: plague, anthrax, brucellosis, glanders, tularemia, cholera, yellow and other types of fever, spring-summer encephalitis, typhus and typhoid fever, influenza, ma- laria, dysentery, smallpox, etc.

To defeat animals, along with pathogens of anthrax and glanders, it is possible to use foot-and-mouth disease viruses, plague of cattle and birds, swine cholera, etc.; for the defeat of agricultural plants - causative agents of rust of cereals, late blight of potatoes and some other diseases.

The disease of people and animals occurs as a result of inhalation of contaminated air, contact of microbes or toxins on the mucous membrane and damaged skin, consumption of contaminated food and water, bites of infected insects and ticks, contact with contaminated objects or direct contact with sick people (animals), wounds from fragments of ammunition equipped with bacterial agents. A number of diseases are quickly transmitted from sick people to healthy people and cause epidemics (plague, cholera, typhoid).

Signs of the use of bacteriological (biological) weapons:

Deaf, unlike conventional ammunition, the sound of exploding shells and bombs;

The presence of large fragments and individual parts of ammunition in places of ruptures;

The appearance of drops of liquid or powdery substances on the ground;

Unusual accumulation of insects and mites in places where ammunition burst and containers fell;

Mass diseases of people and animals.

REMEMBER! If signs of the use of this weapon are found, gas masks (respirators, masks), as well as skin protection, are immediately put on.

Features of bacteriological weapons:

The ability to cause mass diseases of people and animals;

Long duration of action (for example, spore forms of anthrax bacteria retain their damaging properties for several years);

Difficulty in detecting microorganisms and their toxins in the external environment;

Long latent (incubation) period of action;

The ability of pathogenic microorganisms and their toxins, together with air, to penetrate into unsealed shelters and premises, infecting people and animals in them.

The focus of bacteriological damage settlements and household facilities that have been directly affected by bacterial agents that create a source of the spread of infectious diseases are considered. Its boundaries are determined on the basis of bacteriological reconnaissance data, laboratory studies of samples from environmental objects, as well as the identification of patients and the spread of infectious diseases that have arisen. Armed guards are installed around the hearth, entry and exit, as well as the export of property, are prohibited.

To prevent the spread of infectious diseases among the population in the lesion, a complex of anti-epidemic and sanitary-hygienic measures is carried out: emergency prevention; observation and quarantine; sanitary treatment of the population; disinfection of various infected objects. If necessary, destroy insects, ticks and rodents (desin-section and deratization).

To medical means of protecting the population bacteriological weapons include: vaccine-serum preparations, antibiotics, sulfanilamide and other medicinal substances used for special and emergency prevention of infectious diseases. In addition, special chemicals are used to neutralize bacteriological agents.

In the case of the use of pathogens of especially dangerous infections - plague, cholera, smallpox - quarantine is established. Quarantine is a set of measures taken to prevent the spread of infectious diseases from the focus of the lesion and to eliminate the focus itself.

Observation- specially organized medical supervision of the population in the focus of bacteriological damage, including a number of measures aimed at the timely detection and isolation of the diseased in order to prevent the spread of epidemic diseases. At the same time, with the help of antibiotics, they carry out emergency prevention of possible diseases, make the necessary vaccinations, monitor the strict implementation of the rules of personal and public hygiene, especially in catering units and places common use. Food and water are used only after they have been reliably disinfected.

The period of observation is determined by the duration of the maximum incubation period for a given disease and is calculated from the moment of isolation of the last patient and the end of disinfection in the lesion.

One of the main features of bacteriological weapons is that it can be used against a potential adversary in advance in a peaceful period before the start of hostilities, when the country's defense system has not yet been put on alert. This requires increased responsibility for the state of the current epidemiological situation in each region of the state.

Bacteriological (biological) weapons

Bacteriological weapons are used in the form of various munitions; certain types of bacteria are used to equip them, causing infectious diseases that take the form of epidemics. It is intended to infect people, agricultural plants and animals, as well as to contaminate food and water sources.

1. Methods of application of bacterial agents

The methods of using bacteriological weapons, as a rule, are:
- aviation bombs;
- artillery mines and shells;
- packages (bags, boxes, containers) dropped from aircraft;
- special devices that disperse insects from aircraft;
- sabotage methods.

In some cases, in order to spread infectious diseases, the enemy may leave contaminated household items during the withdrawal: clothing, food, cigarettes, etc. The disease in this case can occur as a result of direct contact with contaminated objects.

It is also possible that such a form of spread of pathogens as the deliberate abandonment of infectious patients during the departure so that they become a source of infection among the troops and the population.

When ammunition filled with a bacterial formula bursts, a bacterial cloud is formed, consisting of tiny droplets of liquid or solid particles suspended in the air. The cloud, spreading along the wind, dissipates and settles on the ground, forming an infected area, the area of which depends on the amount of the formulation, its properties and wind speed.

2. Features of damage by bacterial agents

When affected by bacterial agents, the disease does not occur immediately, there is almost always a latent (incubation) period during which the disease does not manifest itself outward signs, and the affected person does not lose combat capability.

Some diseases (plague, smallpox, cholera) can be transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person and, spreading rapidly, cause epidemics. It is quite difficult to establish the fact of the use of bacterial agents and determine the type of pathogen, since neither microbes nor toxins have any color, smell or taste, and the effect of their action can appear after a long period of time. Detection of bacterial agents is possible only by conducting special laboratory studies, which requires considerable time, and this makes it difficult to take timely measures to prevent epidemic diseases.

3. Bacterial agents

Bacterial agents include pathogenic microbes and the toxins they produce. The causative agents of the following diseases can be used to equip bacteriological weapons:
- plague;
- cholera;
- anthrax;
- botulism.

a) Plague is an acute infectious disease. The causative agent is a microbe that does not have high resistance outside the body; in human sputum, it remains viable for up to 10 days. The incubation period is 1 - 3 days. The disease begins acutely: there is a general weakness, chills, headache, the temperature rises rapidly, consciousness is darkened.

The most dangerous is the so-called pneumonic form of plague. It can be contracted by inhalation of air containing the plague pathogen. Signs of the disease: along with a severe general condition, chest pain and cough appear with the release of a large amount of sputum with plague bacteria; the patient's strength quickly falls, loss of consciousness occurs; death occurs as a result of increasing cardiovascular weakness. The disease lasts from 2 to 4 days.

b) Cholera is an acute infectious disease characterized by a severe course and a tendency to spread rapidly. The causative agent of cholera - vibrio cholerae - is not resistant to the external environment, it remains in water for several months. The incubation period for cholera lasts from several hours to 6 days, on average 1 to 3 days.

The main signs of cholera damage: vomiting, diarrhea; convulsions; vomit and feces of a cholera patient take the form of rice water. With liquid stools and vomiting, the patient loses a large number of liquid, quickly loses weight, his body temperature drops to 35 degrees. In severe cases, the disease can end in death.

c) Anthrax is an acute disease that mainly affects farm animals, and from them it can be transmitted to humans. The causative agent of anthrax enters the body through the respiratory tract, digestive tract, damaged skin. The disease comes in 1 - 3 days; it proceeds in three forms: pulmonary, intestinal and skin.

The pulmonary form of anthrax is a kind of inflammation of the lungs: the body temperature rises sharply, a cough appears with the release of bloody sputum, cardiac activity weakens and, if left untreated, death occurs in 2-3 days.

The intestinal form of the disease is manifested in ulcerative lesions of the intestine, acute pain in the abdomen, bloody vomiting, diarrhea; death occurs in 3-4 days.

In the cutaneous form of anthrax, most often exposed areas of the body (arms, legs, neck, face) are affected. An itchy spot appears at the site of contact with the microbes of the pathogen, which after 12-15 hours turns into a bubble with a cloudy or bloody liquid. The vesicle soon bursts, forming a black eschar, around which new vesicles appear, increasing the size of the eschar to 6 to 9 centimeters in diameter (carbuncle).

The carbuncle is painful, massive edema forms around it. If the carbuncle breaks through, blood poisoning and death are possible. With a favorable course of the disease, after 5-6 days, the patient's temperature decreases, the painful phenomena gradually disappear.

d) Botulism is caused by botulinum toxin, which is one of the most strong poisons currently known.

Infection can occur through the respiratory tract, digestive tract, damaged skin and mucous membranes. The incubation period is from 2 hours to a day.

Botulinum toxin affects the central nervous system, the vagus nerve and the nervous apparatus of the heart; the disease is characterized by neuroparalytic phenomena. Initially, there are general weakness, dizziness, pressure in the epigastric region, disorders gastrointestinal tract; then paralytic phenomena develop: paralysis of the main muscles, muscles of the tongue, soft palate, larynx, facial muscles; in the future, paralysis of the muscles of the stomach and intestines is observed, as a result of which flatulence and persistent constipation are observed. The patient's body temperature is usually below normal. In severe cases, death can occur within a few hours after the onset of the disease as a result of respiratory paralysis.

Based on materials freely distributed on the Internet

General characteristics of biological weapons. The main types of pathogens of infectious diseases and their features damaging effect. Ways and means of using biological weapons

General characteristics of biological weapons

Biological weapons are special ammunition and combat devices with means of their delivery to the target, equipped with biological means; it is intended for mass destruction of people, farm animals and crops.

The basis of the damaging effect of biological weapons is biological agents (BS) - biological agents specially selected for combat use, capable of causing severe diseases (damage) when they penetrate into the body of people (animals, plants).

Features of the damaging effect of BO

1. BO selectively strikes, mainly, living matter, leaving material assets intact, which can then be used by the attacking side. In addition, some biological agents are capable of infecting only humans, others - farm animals, and others - plants. Only a few agents are dangerous for both humans and animals.

2. BO has high combat effectiveness, since the doses of biological agents that cause infection are negligible, significantly exceeding the most toxic poisonous substances in this.

3. BO is capable of hitting manpower over areas of tens of thousands or more square kilometers, which makes it possible to use it to hit highly dispersed manpower even in the absence of data on its exact location

4. The damaging effect of BW manifests itself through a certain, so-called incubation (hidden) period, which lasts from several hours to several days and even weeks. The incubation period can be shortened or lengthened depending on various factors. These include the magnitude of the dose of biological agents that have entered the body, the presence of specific immunity in the body, the timeliness of the use of medical protection, physical condition and previous exposure of the body to ionizing fluxes. During the incubation period, the personnel fully retain their combat capability.

5. BO is characterized by a duration of action due to the property of some biological agents to cause diseases capable of epidemic spread. On the other hand, some biological agents remain in the external environment in a viable state for a long time (months and years). The increase in the duration of BO action is also associated with the possibility of the spread of some biological agents by artificially infected blood-sucking vectors. In this case, there is a danger of the formation of a persistent natural focus of infection, the presence in which will be dangerous for personnel.

6. The possibility of covert use of BW and difficulties in timely indication and identification of biological agents.

7. BO has a strong psychological impact. The threat of the use of BW by the enemy or the sudden appearance of dangerous diseases (plague, smallpox, yellow fever) can cause panic, depression, thereby reducing the combat capability of troops and disorganizing the work of the rear.

8. A large volume and complexity of work to eliminate the consequences of the use of BW, with the possible occurrence of serious environmental consequences. Biological agents affect humans, animals and vegetable world, microorganisms. This can lead to their mass death, reduction in numbers to such a level at which they cannot continue their further existence as species. The disappearance of one or a group of biological species in an ecological community seriously disturbs the ecological balance. The resulting vacuum can be filled by a biological species - a carrier of a dangerous infection acquired in natural conditions or as a result of the use of BW. In turn, this will lead to the formation of vast areas of persistent natural focality, in which it is dangerous for humans to live.

Biological agents are capable of causing diseases when they enter the body through the respiratory organs along with air, through the gastrointestinal tract with food and water, through the skin (through abrasions and wounds, and when bitten by infected insects).

The main types of pathogens of infectious diseases and the features of their damaging effect

As biological means, the enemy can use:

For the defeat of people - botulinum toxin, staphylococcal enterotoxin, causative agents of plague, tularemia, anthrax, yellow fever, Q fever, brucellosis, Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis and other diseases;

For the defeat of farm animals - pathogens of anthrax, glanders, foot and mouth disease, rinderpest, etc.;

For the defeat of agricultural crops - pathogens of rust of cereals, late blight of potatoes and other diseases.

For the destruction of crops of grain and industrial crops, one can expect the enemy to deliberately use insects - the most dangerous pests of agricultural crops, such as locust, Colorado potato beetle, etc.

Microorganisms, including pathogens of infectious diseases, depending on the size, structure and biological properties are divided into the following classes: bacteria, viruses, rickettsiae, fungi.
Bacteria are single-celled microorganisms visible only under a microscope; reproduce by simple division. They quickly die from exposure to direct sunlight, disinfectants and high temperatures. Bacteria are insensitive to low temperatures and even tolerate freezing. Some species of bacteria, in order to survive in adverse conditions, are able to become covered with a protective capsule or turn into a spore that is highly resistant to these factors. Bacteria cause such serious diseases as plague, tularemia, anthrax, glanders, etc.

Fungi are microorganisms that differ from bacteria in a more complex structure and methods of reproduction. Fungal spores are highly resistant to drying, exposure to sunlight and disinfectants. Diseases caused by pathogenic fungi are characterized by damage to internal organs with a severe and prolonged course.

Features of the damaging effect of toxins

microbial toxins- products of vital activity of certain types of bacteria with high toxicity. When ingested with food, water in the human body, animals, these products cause severe, often fatal poisoning.

The most dangerous of the known bacterial toxins is botulinum toxin, leading to death in 60-70% of cases if not promptly treated. Toxins, especially when dried, are quite resistant to freezing, fluctuations in relative humidity of the air and do not lose their damaging properties in the air for up to 12 hours. Toxins are destroyed during prolonged boiling and exposure to disinfectants.

When a certain amount of a toxin enters the body, it causes a form of disease called poisoning or intoxication.

The penetration of toxins into the body occurs mainly in three ways: through the gastrointestinal tract, the wound surface and the lungs. From the place of primary penetration, they are carried by blood to all organs and tissues. The toxin in the blood is partially neutralized by special cells of the immune system or by specific antibodies that are produced by the body in response to the introduction of the toxin. In addition, the detoxification process takes place in the liver, where the toxin enters with the bloodstream. Removal of the neutralized toxin from the body in most cases is carried out by the kidneys.

The manifestations of the toxic effect of microbial toxins are different and are associated with their predominant damage to certain organs and those changes in the body that occur due to a violation the functions of these organs.

Individual toxins affect the nervous tissue, block the conduction of impulses along the nerve fibers, disrupting the regulatory influence of the nervous system on the muscles, resulting in paralysis.

Other toxins, acting mainly in the intestine, disrupt the process of absorption of fluid in it, which, on the contrary, exits into the intestinal lumen, as a result of which diarrhea and dehydration of the body develop.

In addition, toxins act on various internal organs, where they penetrate with blood, disrupting cardiac activity, liver and kidney functions. A number of toxins, being in the blood, can have a direct damaging effect on blood cells and blood vessels, and disrupt blood clotting processes.

Ways and means of using biological weapons

The effectiveness of BO action depends not only on the damaging abilities of pathogens, but also to a large extent on right choice ways and means of their application. The following ways of using BO are possible:

Pollution of the surface layer of air by spraying biological formulations (pathogens);

Aerosol way;

Dispersal of artificially infected blood-sucking disease vectors in the target area is a transmissible method;

Direct contamination by biological weapons and military equipment, water supply systems (water sources), catering units, food in warehouses, as well as air in rooms and objects that are important with the help of sabotage equipment - a sabotage method.

The most effective and probable way to use biological means is to create a biological aerosol using small bombs equipped in disposable bomb clusters, containers, warheads of guided and cruise missiles, as well as through various spraying devices (pouring and spraying aircraft devices, mechanical aerosol generators), mounted on airplanes, helicopters, cruise missiles, balloons, ships, submarines, on land vehicles.

Pouring and spraying aircraft devices allow reaching surface air aerosol contamination over large areas.

One-time bomb cassettes and containers can contain several tens and even hundreds of small biological bombs. Dispersion of small bombs allows you to simultaneously and evenly cover large-sized objects with an aerosol. The transfer of a biological formulation into a combat state is carried out by an explosion of an explosive charge.

Transmissive method consists in the deliberate dispersal of artificially infected vectors in a given area. The method is based on the ability of blood-sucking carriers to easily perceive, retain for a long time, and transmit pathogens of a number of diseases dangerous to humans and animals through bites and secretions. So, certain types of mosquitoes transmit yellow fever, fleas - plague, lice - typhus, ticks - Q fever, encephalitis, tularemia, etc. The influence of weather conditions is determined only by their impact on the vital activity of carriers. It is believed that the use of infected vectors is most likely at temperatures of 15°C and above and a relative humidity of at least 60%. This method is considered as an auxiliary.

To deliver and disperse in the target area disease vectors, as well as crop pests, entomological munitions can be used - aerial bombs and containers that provide protection from adverse factors during flight and landing (heating and soft landing on the ground).

The use of radio and remote-controlled balloons and balloons as means of delivery is not ruled out. Drifting along with the prevailing air currents, they are capable of landing or dropping biological munitions on appropriate commands.

Diversionary method is very affordable and effective, does not require special training. With the help of small-sized devices (portable aerosol generators, spraying canisters), it is possible to infect the air in crowded places, in the premises and halls of stations, airports, subways, public, cultural and sports centers, as well as at facilities that have an important defense and national importance. Possible contamination of water in urban water supply systems using pathogens of cholera, typhoid fever, plague.

Biological agents can be used by tactical, transport and strategic aircraft.

According to foreign military experts, the use of biological weapons is possible both on the eve and during military operations in order to inflict massive losses on personnel, make it difficult to conduct active hostilities, disrupt the work of facilities and the economy of the rear as a whole. At the same time, biological munitions are supposed to be used both independently and in combination with nuclear, chemical and conventional weapons in order to significantly increase overall losses. So, for example, the previous exposure of the body to ionizing radiation from a nuclear explosion sharply reduces its protective ability against the action of BS and shortens the incubation period.

Principles for the use of biological weapons(surprise, massing, careful consideration of the conditions of use, combat properties and characteristics of the damaging effect of pathogens) are generally the same as for other types of WMD, in particular, chemical weapons.

In the offensive, biological weapons are supposed to be used to destroy the personnel of reserves and second echelons located in areas of concentration or marching, as well as rear units. In defense, the use of biological weapons is recommended to destroy personnel, both first and second echelons, large command posts and rear facilities. To solve operational-tactical tasks, the enemy can use BS with a short incubation period and low contagiousness.

When acting on strategic objects, the use of BS with a long latent period and high contagiousness is more likely.

5.3 Bacteriological weapons

Bacteriological weapons are pathogenic microbes and bacterial poisons (toxins) intended to infect people, animals, plants and contaminate food supplies and water sources, as well as the ammunition with which they are used.

When affected by bacterial agents, the disease does not occur immediately, there is almost always a latent (incubation) period during which the disease does not manifest itself by external signs, and the affected person does not lose combat capability.

It is quite difficult to establish the fact of the use of bacterial agents and determine the type of pathogen, since neither microbes nor toxins have any color, smell or taste, and the effect of their action can appear after a long period of time.

Detection of bacterial agents is possible only through special laboratory research, which takes a lot of time, and this makes it difficult to take timely measures to prevent epidemic diseases.

5.3.1 Types of pathogens

Depending on the structure and biological properties, microbes are divided into bacteria, viruses, rickettsia and fungi.

Bacteria are microorganisms of plant origin, mostly unicellular, visible only with a microscope. Under favorable conditions, they multiply very quickly by simple division every 20-30 minutes. When exposed to sunlight, disinfectants and boiling, bacteria quickly die, but some of them (anthrax, tetanus, botulism), turning into spores, are highly resistant to these factors. Once in conditions favorable for development, spores germinate and turn into a vegetative (active) form of bacteria. Bacteria are not very sensitive to low temperatures and easily tolerate freezing.

Bacteria cause diseases such as plague, cholera, glanders, anthrax, etc.

Viruses are the smallest organisms, thousands of times smaller than bacteria. Unlike bacteria, viruses reproduce only in living tissues. Many of them withstand drying and temperatures above 100°C. Viruses can cause diseases such as smallpox, influenza, etc.

Rickettsia are close in size and shape to some bacteria, but they develop and live only in the tissues of the organs affected by them. They cause typhus.

Fungi, like bacteria, are of plant origin, but are more perfect in structure. The resistance of fungi to the effects of physicochemical factors is much higher than that of bacteria; they tolerate exposure to sunlight and drying well.

Some microbes, such as botulism, tetanus, diphtheria, produce highly acting poisons- toxins that cause severe poisoning.

There are microbes that can cause disease in animals. Among such dangerous infectious diseases are foot-and-mouth disease, rinderpest, swine fever, sheep pox, glanders, anthrax, etc.

The causative agents of some plant diseases are also dangerous, for example, pathogens of stem rust of cereal crops, late blight of potatoes, rice blast, etc.

5.3.2 Methods of using bacteriological weapons

As a rule, methods of using bacteriological weapons are:

aviation bombs;
artillery mines and shells;
packages (bags, boxes, containers) dropped from aircraft;
special devices that disperse insects from aircraft;
sabotage methods.

Types and properties of bacteriological weapons

Basic concepts of bacteriological (biological) weapons

Bacteriological (biological) weapons are a means of mass destruction of people, animals, destruction of agricultural crops and military equipment of the enemy. The basis of its damaging effect is bacteriological agents, which include pathogens (bacteria, viruses, rickettsia, fungi) and toxins produced by bacteria.

Bacteriological (biological) weapons are special ammunition and combat devices with delivery vehicles equipped with bacteriological agents.

As bacteriological agents can be used:

1) to hit people:

pathogens of bacteriological diseases (plague, tularemia, brucellosis, anthrax, cholera); causative agents of viral diseases (natural smallpox, yellow fever, Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis); causative agents of rickettsiosis (typhus, spotted fever of the Rocky Mountains, Q fever); pathogens of fungal diseases (coccidioidomycosis, pocardiosis, histoplasmosis);

2) for the defeat of animals:

pathogens of foot-and-mouth disease, rinderpest, swine fever, anthrax, glanders, African swine fever, false rabies and other diseases;

3) for the destruction of plants:

causative agents of rust of cereals, late blight of potatoes, late wilt of corn and other crops; insect pests of agricultural plants; phytotoxicants, defoliants, herbicides and other chemicals.

Ways to use bacteriological agents

The methods of using bacteriological (biological) weapons, as a rule, are:

aircraft bombs
- artillery mines and shells
- packages (bags, boxes, containers) dropped from aircraft
- special devices that disperse insects from aircraft
- sabotage methods.

The main method of using bacteriological agents is considered to be contamination of the surface layer of air. When ammunition filled with a bacteriological formulation bursts, a bacteriological cloud is formed, consisting of tiny droplets of liquid or solid particles suspended in the air. The cloud, spreading along the wind, dissipates and settles on the ground, forming an infected area, the area of which depends on the amount of the formulation, its properties and wind speed.

Types and properties of the main bacteriological agents

Pathogenic microorganisms are the causative agents of infectious diseases in humans and animals. Depending on the size of the structure and biological properties, they are divided into the following classes:

1) bacteria
2) viruses
3) rickettsia
4) spirochete fungi and protozoa

The last two classes of microorganisms as biological means of destruction, according to specialists in the field of biological weapons, do not matter.

1) Bacteria - unicellular microorganisms vegetable nature, very diverse in form. The main forms of bacteria: staphylococci, diplococci, streptococci, rod-shaped, vibrio, spirilla.

Their sizes vary from 0.5 to 8-10 microns. Bacteria in vegetative form, i.e. in the form of growth and development, are very sensitive to the effects of high temperature, sunlight, sharp fluctuations in humidity and disinfectants, and, conversely, retain sufficient stability at low temperatures even down to minus 15-25°C. Some types of bacteria are able to cover themselves with a protective capsule or form a spore to survive in adverse conditions. Microbes in spore form are highly resistant to desiccation, nutrient deficiencies, high and low temperatures, and disinfectants. Of the pathogenic bacteria, the causative agents of anthrax, botulism, tetanus, etc. have the ability to form spores. According to the literature, almost all types of bacteria used as means of destruction are relatively easy to grow on artificial nutrient media, and their mass production is possible with the help of equipment and processes used by industry in the production of antibiotics, vitamins and modern fermentation products. The class of bacteria includes the causative agents of most of the most dangerous human diseases, such as plague, cholera, anthrax, glanders, meliodiosis, etc.

4) Fungi - unicellular or multicellular microorganisms of plant origin. Their sizes vary from 3 to 50 microns and more. Fungi can form spores that are highly resistant to freezing, drying, sunlight and disinfectants. Diseases caused by pathogenic fungi are called mycoses. Among them are such severe infectious diseases of people as coccidioidomycosis, blaotomycosis, histoplasmosis, etc.

Bacteriological agents include pathogenic microbes and the toxins they produce.

The agents of the following diseases can be used to equip bacteriological (biological) weapons:

1) Plague is an acute infectious disease. The causative agent is a microbe that is not highly resistant outside the body; in human sputum, it remains viable for up to 10 days. The incubation period is 1 - 3 days. The disease begins acutely: there is a general weakness, chills, headache, the temperature rises rapidly, consciousness is darkened. The most dangerous is the so-called pneumonic form of plague. It can be contracted by inhaling air containing the plague pathogen. Signs of the disease: along with a severe general condition, chest pain and cough appear with the release of a large amount of sputum with plague bacteria; the patient's strength quickly falls, loss of consciousness occurs; death occurs as a result of increasing cardiovascular weakness. The disease lasts from 2 to 4 days.

2) Cholera is an acute infectious disease characterized by a severe course and a tendency to spread rapidly. The causative agent of cholera - vibrio cholerae - is not resistant to the external environment, it remains in water for several months. The incubation period for cholera lasts from several hours to 6 days, on average 1 to 3 days. The main signs of cholera damage: vomiting, diarrhea; convulsions; vomit and feces of a cholera patient take the form of rice water. With liquid stools and vomiting, the patient loses a large amount of fluid, quickly loses weight, his body temperature drops to 35 degrees. In severe cases, the disease can end in death.

3) Anthrax is an acute infectious disease that mainly affects farm animals, and from them can be transmitted to humans. The causative agent of anthrax enters the body through the respiratory tract, digestive tract, damaged skin. The disease comes in 1 - 3 days; it proceeds in three forms: pulmonary, intestinal and skin. The pulmonary form of anthrax is a kind of inflammation of the lungs: the body temperature rises sharply, a cough appears with the release of bloody sputum, cardiac activity weakens and, if left untreated, death occurs in 2-3 days. The intestinal form of the disease manifests itself in ulcerative lesions of the intestine, acute pain in the abdomen, bloody vomiting, diarrhea; death occurs in 3-4 days. In the cutaneous form of anthrax, most often exposed areas of the body (arms, legs, neck, face) are affected. An itchy spot appears at the site of contact with the microbes of the pathogen, which after 12-15 hours turns into a bubble with a cloudy or bloody liquid. The vesicle soon bursts, forming a black eschar, around which new vesicles appear, increasing the size of the eschar to 6 to 9 centimeters in diameter (carbuncle). The carbuncle is painful, massive edema forms around it. When a carbuncle breaks through, blood poisoning and death are possible. With a favorable course of the disease, after 5-6 days, the patient's temperature decreases, the painful phenomena gradually disappear.

4) Botulism is an infectious disease caused by botulinum toxin, which is one of the most powerful poisons currently known. Infection can occur through the respiratory tract, digestive tract, damaged skin and mucous membranes. The incubation period is from 2 hours to a day. Botulinum toxin affects the central nervous system, the vagus nerve and the nervous apparatus of the heart; the disease is characterized by neuro-paralytic phenomena. Initially, general weakness, dizziness, pressure in the epigastric region, disorders of the gastrointestinal tract appear; then paralytic phenomena develop: paralysis of the main muscles, muscles of the tongue, soft palate, larynx, facial muscles; in the future, paralysis of the muscles of the stomach and intestines is observed, as a result of which flatulence and persistent constipation are observed. The patient's body temperature is usually below normal. In severe cases, death may occur within hours of the onset of the disease as a result of respiratory paralysis.

5) Meliodiosis is an infectious disease of humans and rodents, similar to glanders. The causative agent, for its similarity with glanders, is called a false glanders stick. The microbe is a thin stick, does not form spores, has mobility due to the presence of a bundle of flagella at one end, is resistant to drying, at a temperature of 26-28 degrees it remains viable in soil for up to a month, in water for more than 40 days. Sensitive to disinfectants and high temperature- under their influence dies in a few minutes. Meliodiosis is a little-known disease that occurs in countries South-East Asia. Carriers are small rodents in which the disease occurs in a chronic form. The pus, feces and urine of sick animals contain many pathogens of meliodiosis. Infection of a Human occurs when eating food and water contaminated with secretions of sick rodents. As with glanders, the disease can enter the body through damaged skin and mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, etc. With artificial distribution, i.e. if this disease is used as a component of a biological weapon, meliodiosis microbes can be dispersed in the air or used to contaminate food and food products. The possibility of infection with human meliodiosis by a person is not excluded, although such facts have not been noted. Patients are subject to isolation because of the similarity of symptoms of meliodiosis with other diseases. Manifestations of the disease in humans are diverse and can occur in 3 stages. the disease begins in a few days.

6) Sap - a chronic disease of horses, rarely feline camels and humans, caused by the glanders bacterium. Symptoms: specific nodules, and then ulcers in the respiratory organs and on the skin. Infection occurs through contact with sick animals. Sick animals are destroyed. Within the territory of Russian Federation glanders have been liquidated for a long time, but there is a danger that they can be used as a bacteriological (biological) weapon.

Criteria for assessing the likelihood of using bioagents

The main part of bioagents used as bacteriological (biological) weapons can be used in connection with the following parameters:

human sensitivity
infectious dose value
ways of infection
contagiousness (contagiousness)
stability in environment
the severity of the lesion
possibility of cultivation
availability of means of prevention, treatment, diagnosis
the possibility of covert use
possibility of genetic modification

According to a set of criteria, the main bioagents pathogenic for humans (bacteria, viruses, toxins) were analyzed, and the results of the analysis made it possible to assign a rating to each bioagent, i.e. the sum of points characterizing the degree of probability of being used as a bacteriological (biological) weapon. In accordance with the rating, bioagents were divided into 3 groups (see table): bioagents with a high probability of their use as a bacteriological (biological) weapon (I-group); bioagents that can be used as a bacteriological (biological) weapon (group 2), and bioagents that can hardly be used as a bacteriological (biological) weapon (group 3).

Distribution table of bioagents by probability of being used as a bacteriological (biological) weapon

1 group (high probability)	2 group (possible use)	3 group (weak probability)
smallpox Plague anthrax Botulism VEL Tularemia Q fever marburg Flu Glanders Typhus	Cholera Brucellosis Japanese encephalitis Yellow fever Tetanus Diphtheria	Rabies Typhoid fever Dysentery Staphylococci HIV Parenteral hepatitis, etc.

Therefore, the main attention should be paid to the bioagents of the first and partially the second group. In the first group, pathogens of contagious infections, primarily smallpox and plague, are of particular danger, which can cause global epidemics (pandemics) with numerous victims, paralyze the activities of the country and entire continents due to the need to introduce strict quarantine.

The most threatened for use in sabotage purposes is the variola virus. As is known, the collection of variola virus, on the recommendation of WHO, is securely stored in the United States and in Russia. However, there is evidence that the virus is uncontrollably stored (not destroyed) in some countries and can spontaneously (or maybe intentionally) go beyond the laboratories.

In connection with the abolition of vaccination in 1980, the world's population lost immunity to smallpox. The production of a vaccine and diagnostic products in the required quantities was stopped, effective means there is practically no treatment, lethality in the unvaccinated is 30%. Smallpox is easily transmitted from a sick person to a healthy one, and a long incubation period (up to 17 days) contributes to the spontaneous spread of infection over large regions due to modern fast and numerous means of communication.