Biological warfare

High school (ages 12+)
Safety & Emergency

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/biological-warfare

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the key international treaty?Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) of 1975
2. What is the modern delivery methods?Aerosolization, contamination of food/water, potential for novel delivery systems
3. How did people use germs as weapons in the past?In old times, armies would throw bodies that had died from disease into cities or poison wells with infected material. During World Wars, some countries tried to spread germs by spraying them or putting them in food and water.
4. Why are germs so scary as weapons?Germs can spread quickly through the air or through food and water, making many people sick before they even know it. Some germs can stay alive for a long time and have no easy cure, which makes them dangerous.

Pathogen: A microorganism or virus that can cause disease.
Virulence: The degree of pathogenicity of a microorganism, indicating its ability to cause severe disease.
Prophylaxis: Measures taken to prevent disease, such as vaccination or the use of preventative medication.