General characteristics of biological weapons. The main types of pathogens of infectious diseases and the features of their damaging effect. Ways and means of using biological weapons. Bacteriological (biological) weapons and the consequences of their use

15.03.2020

Biological (bacteriological) weapons is a means of mass destruction of people, animals and plants. Its action is based on the use of the pathogenic properties of microorganisms (bacteria, rickettsia, fungi, as well as toxins produced by some bacteria). Biological weapons include formulations of pathogens and means of delivering them to the target (missiles, aerial bombs and containers, aerosol dispensers, artillery shells, etc.).

The damaging factor of biological weapons is pathogenicity, i.e., their ability to cause disease in humans, animals and plants (pathogenicity). The quantitative characteristic (parameter) of pathogenicity is virulence (degree of pathogenicity).

Features of biological weapons

Biological weapons have a number of specific features, the most important of which are:

epidemic - the possibility of mass destruction of people in vast areas in a short time;
high toxicity, far exceeding toxicity (1 cm 3 suspension of the psittacosis virus contains 2x10 10 doses that infect humans);
contagiousness - the ability to be transmitted through contact with a person, animal, objects, etc.;
incubation period, reaching several days;
the possibility of preservation of microorganisms, in which their viability in the dried state is maintained for 5-10 years;
range of propagation - simulators of biological aerosols during tests penetrated at distances of up to 700 km;
difficulty of indication, reaching several hours;
strong psychological impact (panic, fear, etc.).

As biological means, the enemy can use pathogens of various infectious diseases: plague, anthrax, brucellosis, glanders, tularemia, cholera, yellow and other types of fever, spring-summer encephalitis, typhus and typhoid fever, influenza, malaria, dysentery, smallpox and etc. In addition, botulinum toxin can be used, which causes severe poisoning of the human body. For the defeat of animals, along with the 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 - pathogens of rust of cereals, late blight of potatoes and other diseases, as well as various pests of agricultural crops.

Infection of people and animals occurs as a result of inhalation of air, contact of microbes or toxins on the mucous membrane and damaged skin, ingestion of contaminated food and water, insect and tick bites, contact with contaminated objects, injury from fragments of ammunition filled with biological agents, as well as as a result of direct contact with sick people (animals). A number of diseases are quickly transmitted from sick people to healthy people and cause epidemics (plague, cholera, typhoid, influenza, etc.).

The main ways of using biological weapons are aerosol, transmissible (the use of insects, ticks and rodents) and sabotage.

Means of protecting the population from biological weapons

The main means of protecting the population from biological weapons include: vaccine-serum preparations, antibiotics, sulfonamides and other medicinal substances used for special and emergency prevention of infectious diseases, personal and collective protective equipment, chemicals used to neutralize pathogens of infectious diseases.

If signs of the use of biological weapons by the enemy are found, they immediately put on gas masks (respirators, masks), as well as skin protection and report this to the nearest civil defense headquarters, the director of the institution, the head of the enterprise, organization.

As a result of the use of biological weapons, zones of biological contamination and foci of biological damage. A zone of biological contamination is an area of terrain (water area) or an area of airspace infected with pathogens within dangerous limits for the population. The focus of biological damage is the territory within which, as a result of the use of biological agents, mass diseases of people, farm animals and plants have occurred. The size of the focus of biological damage depends on the type of biological agents, the scale and methods of their application.

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 (disinfestation, deratation).

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, for example, microbes of botulism, tetanus, diphtheria, produce highly effective 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.

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.

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.

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 by a fragment 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, and monitor the strict observance of the rules of personal and public hygiene, especially in catering units and common areas. 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.

General characteristics of biological weapons. The main types of pathogens of infectious diseases and the features of their 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 values 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 a 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 BO manifests itself through a certain, so-called incubation (latent) 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. BW 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). An 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 BO and difficulties in the 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 people, flora and fauna, 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 the correct choice of methods 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 method;

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

Direct contamination by biological means of weapons and military equipment, water supply systems (water sources), catering facilities, food in warehouses, as well as air in rooms and facilities that are important with the help of sabotage equipment is 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), installed on airplanes, helicopters, cruise missiles, balloons, ships, submarines, ground 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.

For the delivery and dispersal in the target area of disease vectors, as well as insect pests of agricultural crops, entomological ammunition can be used - aerial bombs and containers that provide protection from adverse factors during the 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, social, cultural and sports centers, as well as at objects of great defense and state 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 operation 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.

Biological (bacteriological) weapons are understood as a means of mass destruction of all living things: people, animals and plants. Its action is based on various options for using the pathogenic properties of microorganisms, such as bacteria, rickettsia, fungi, as well as toxins produced by some bacteria. Biological weapons include various formulations of pathogens, as well as means of delivering them to the target - these can be rockets, aerosol dispensers, aerial bombs, which we spoke about earlier, etc. In connection with this definition, several more important definitions should be given, which directly associated with biological weapons.

A biological formulation is a specific multicomponent system that contains pathogenic microorganisms or, more simply, toxins, fillers and additives that increase their stability during their various uses: storage, application and being in an aerosol state, as in cans for example. Also, the formulations can be liquid and dry, depending on the agrarian condition.

Biological agents are a generalized concept of biological formulations, as well as infectious vectors. By effect, they are divided into lethal: based on the pathogens of plague, smallpox and anthrax, and incapacitating, for example, based on the pathogens of brucellosis, cholera.

Delivery vehicles are combat vehicles that ensure the delivery of technical means to the intended target (object of destruction). These include: aviation, ballistic cruise missiles, sabotage groups that deliver special containers with radio command or timer opening systems to the area of application.

Thus, bacteriological weapons have a high combat activity, which affects large areas with little effort and resources. But at the same time, its predictability and controllability are much lower than those of chemical or nuclear weapons.

Ways to use bacteriological agents

Various variations of the introduction of harmful substances into the atmosphere are known. Thus, the methods of using bacteriological weapons include:

aviation bombs and shells;

artillery mines;

packages, including bags, boxes and containers dropped from aircraft or helicopters;

special devices that disperse infected insects;

sabotage methods.

Nevertheless, the main way in which cybercriminals use bacteriological agents is to contaminate the atmospheric air. The mechanism is as follows: when munitions preloaded with a bacteriological formula burst, a so-called bacteriological cloud (fog) is formed. Spreading along the wind, it disperses and then settles on the surface of the earth, forming an infected area, the area of which directly depends on the composition and amount of the formulation, as well as on wind speed.

There are other ways to infect an enemy, for example, in some cases, an ill-wisher can leave contaminated household items in public places: clothes, a bag, food, etc. In this case, the disease can occur as a result of direct contact with an infected object.

Another possible form of the spread of bacteriological weapons is the deliberate abandonment of infected patients when they leave. He, in turn, infects everyone else and becomes a source of infection among the entire population.