As many as 17 nations, including several the U.S. State
Department considers "state sponsors of terrorism," have
developed lethal biological agents as weapons of war. The
list of bacteria, viruses, and toxins explored by these
weapons programs is vast—running in the dozens. We
focus on eight agents that may pose the greatest threats.
Most of these deadly pathogens are difficult to obtain,
process, and most critically, deploy to cause mass
casualties. Yet we must understand these agents—how
they would be used and the diseases they trigger—to
prepare for even the most unlikely bioterrorist attack.
