New perspectives of protection against possible use of biological weapons

• Main Authors: Sergej Cvetkovski, Vanco Kenkov
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Faculty of Philosophy, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje 2017-12-01
• Series: Bezbednosni Dijalozi
• Subjects: biological weapons; biological agents; attacks; infectious disease; protection
• Online Access: http://periodica.fzf.ukim.edu.mk/sd/SD%2008.sp%20(2017)/SD%2008.sp.27%20Cvetkovski,%20S.%20&%20Kenkov,%20V.%20-%20New%20perspectives%20of%20protection%20against%20possible.pdf
• ISSN: 1857-7172; 1857-8055

Unlike nuclear and chemical weapons, biological weapons are means of mass destruction which is easily accessible. Open use of biological weapons in a military conflict is very unlikely, but it is more realistic in its application as a means of conducting subversive war and terrorism. Protection against the effects of biological weapons comes down primarily to the application of measures that are used in the prevention and treatment of contagious diseases. The authors of this paper neither diminished the role in the prevention of biological attacks of the appropriate security and intelligence services. The contents of this paper highlight issues of the challenge of recognizing biological attack, the methods of isolation and detection of harmful microorganisms by classical microbiological methods and their weakness, the agents altered resistance to existing antibiotics, and (im)possibilities for effective protection. The authors also present the prevailing scientific conflicting views on the horror of the possible use of genetically modified organisms and opposing soothing views indicating that such opportunities are premature. The analysis of capabilities for vaccination, as a specific defensive measure of protection in case of a biological attack, suggests that capacities are fairly limited. The methods of biological decontamination show that this is a delicate procedure.