Tularemia is an infectious disease resulting from infection by Francisella tularensis[1]. It is the second sample that William provides the KGB with, after his research laboratory concludes their work on Burkholderia mallei.
Background[]
Primarily affecting small mammals such as rabbits, hares, beavers, Francisella tularensis is a antibiotic semi-resistant pathogen. There is a live vaccine available, though its use is only for high-risk groups and it's not available to the general public.
Tularemia[]
Typical symptoms are fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, sepsis and potentially death.
The disease has a mortality rate of ~7% if untreated, ~1% with treatment. Antibiotics work well with the bacteria.[2]
Biological Warfare[]
F. tularensis is viewed by the CDC as a potential biological warfare agent, and has historically been a part of the US, Soviet, and Japanese biological warfare programs. Its modern use as a biological weapon is with the intention to incapacitate rather than kill enemies.
US research at the Fort Detrick program concluded its positive potential for use as a warfare agent based on:
- it is easy to aerosolize
- it is highly infective; between 10 and 50 bacteria are sufficient to infect victims
- it is nonpersistent and easy to decontaminate (unlike anthrax)
- it is highly incapacitating to infected persons
- it has comparatively low lethality, which is useful where enemy soldiers are in proximity to noncombatants, e.g. civilians
Weaponized strains of F. tularensis can achieve fatality rates of 40-60% and antibiotic resistances.
References[]
- ↑ Ryan KJ, Ray CG (editors) (2004). Sherris Medical Microbiology (4th ed.). McGraw Hill. pp. 488–90. ISBN 0-8385-8529-9.
- ↑ http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a480022.pdf