Bio weapons
… Ethical prerogatives
Following the 9/11 attacks on the twin towers, the world is facing a new threat- biological warfare and bioterrorism. Biological warfare is the use of any pathogen(bacteria, viruses or other disease- causing organisms) as a weapon of war which may be intended to kill, incapacitate or seriously impede on an individual, entire cities or places. It may involve deliberate poisoning of food or water, use of microbes toxins, animals(living/dead) in weapon system or use of biologically inoculated fabrics.
History cities several examples of wars and conquests which were based upon the use of bioweapons- be it ancient, medieval oar modern times. During the cold war, several unpublicized tests were Carried out on the public in a program known as operation white coat.
HOW DO THEY WORK
Bacteria produce spores that allow them to live in a dormant state in soil/air. When used as a weapon, they enter the body and are carried into blood and immune systems. The spores become active, reproduce in large numbers and release a devastating toxin, lethal to cells.
BIOLOGICAL WEAPON PRODUCTION
It is a four-step process:
1. A biological agent is first chosen and acquired from its natural environment.
2. Selection and modification procedures are carried out to alter certain traits and characteristics of the microorganism.
3. It is grown to sufficient quantities in fermentation vats and fermentors.
4. It is subjected to downstream processing where the microbes of interest burst to release microbes, talcum powders, aerosols, etc. Bomblets were made in several shapes- spherical, triangular with rotors to improve glide angles.
IDENTIFICATION OF BIO WEAPONS
The goal of biodefence is to integrate the sustained efforts of national and homeland security, medical, public health, intelligence, diplomatic and providers and public health officers provide first lines of defence.
The growing threat of bio-warfare agents and bioterrorism has led to the development of specific tools that perform on-spot analysis and identification of encountered suspect materials. Two such methods are:
1. Sandwich immunoassay- fluorescent dye- labeled antibodies aimed at specific pathogens are attached to silver and gold nano- wires.
2. Bio pen – can detect known biological agents in less than twenty minutes using an adaption of the ELISA, in this case incorporating fiber optics.
CURRENT SCENARIO
Though several countries have ratified the BTW treaty, the production of bio weapons still takes place within the hushed secrecy of laboratories. USA has allotted 274 million dollars for BW research. A lot of funding has also been directed towards stockpiling medicines for the respective diseases, in case there is an outbreak of a particular epidemic. Not all the countries are prepared for such an outbreak- several are even unaware of the intensity and significance of such a threat.
THE DARKER BIO WEAPONS FUTURE
With the genomic revolution and explosion of biotechnology, the wave front of knowledge is evolving rapidly and becoming broader and more complex day-by-day.
Scientists are trying out newer genetic modifications by which they can construct more and more lethal microbes. Stealth viruses have been proposed which can remain dormant in a host undetected by the immune system, which can attack later at a more favorable time.
One major problem is the lack of government policies to monitor life sciences community and differentiate between ‘legitimate’ and ‘illegitimate’ research.
BIOLOGICAL AND TOXIC WEAPONS CONVENTION
The signatories to the convention on the prohibition of the development, production and stockpiling of bacteriological (biological) and toxin weapons and on their destruction, the BWC, or the BTWC, agree not to develop, produce, stockpile or acquire biological agents for hostile reasons. By 1996, 137 countries had ratified this convention.
OUR ROLE- AS CITIZENS OF THE WORLD
This is an issue that threatens the entire world, and therefore, as inhabitants of planet Earth, it is our duty to protect it from the fate that looms ahead like a shadow threatening the very survival of the human race. The testing of anthrax on gruinard island in Scotland by UK rendered the island uninhabitable for next 48 years.
The discovery of diseases and disease-causing microorganisms was a boon to the world as we could discover a lot regarding the pathology of a disease and design chemotherapeutic agents (e.g. antibiotics) to effectively control them, but certain groups are now using the same knowledge illegitimately for destruction of civilization.
As a responsible technologists, we must resolve to always use science only for the betterment of the society and not for causing harm.
