Agents of biological warfare

Despite international protocols prohibiting the use of microbiological agents - viruses, bacteria, fungi and protozoa, as weapons of war, many countries have either retained or actively developed their capacity to produce such weapons. Biological warfare (BW) agents have long been studied, and actually used by armies for many centuries. One of the reasons for this is that BW agents have been considered an inexpensive way to kill or incapacitate one's enemies - the 'poor man's atomic bomb'. In view of recent international events, it is apposite to review the use of BW agents, with especial reference to bacteriological warfare - historical, bacterial types, delivery systems, detection, prevention, treatment and future developments utilising new microbiological techniques such as recombinant DNA technology.