The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says: A bioterrorism
attack is the deliberate release of viruses, bacteria, or other germs (agents)
used to cause illness or death in people, animals, or plants. These agents
are typically found in nature, but it is possible that they could be changed
to increase their ability to cause disease, make them resistant to current
medicines, or to increase their ability to be spread into the environment.
Biological agents can be spread through the air, through water, or in food.
Terrorists may use biological agents because they can be extremely difficult
to detect and do not cause illness for several hours to several days. Some
bioterrorism agents, like the smallpox virus, can be spread from person to
person and some, like anthrax, can not (CDC.gov).
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