Biological Toxins as the Potential Tools for Bioterrorism

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 20; no. 5; p. 1181
• Main Authors: Janik, Edyta, Ceremuga, Michal, Saluk-Bijak, Joanna, Bijak, Michal
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 08.03.2019; MDPI
• Subjects: Abrin - chemistry; Abrin - toxicity; Animals; Anthrax; Bacteria; Bacterial Toxins - chemistry; Bacterial Toxins - toxicity; bio-agents; Bioinformatics; Biological & chemical terrorism; Biological & chemical weapons; biological toxins; biological warfare agents; Bioterrorism; Botulinum toxin; Botulism; Chemical warfare; Chemical Warfare Agents - chemistry; Chemical Warfare Agents - toxicity; Emergency medical services; Food; Gram-positive bacteria; Humans; Lethal Dose 50; Models, Molecular; Mortality; Neurotoxins; Organic chemistry; Pathogens; Public transportation; Review; Ricin - chemistry; Ricin - toxicity; T-2 Toxin - chemistry; T-2 Toxin - toxicity; Toxins; Viruses; Water supply; United States > US; Iraq; bio-agents; biological warfare agents; biological toxins; bioterrorism
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms20051181

Biological toxins are a heterogeneous group produced by living organisms. One dictionary defines them as "Chemicals produced by living organisms that have toxic properties for another organism". Toxins are very attractive to terrorists for use in acts of bioterrorism. The first reason is that many biological toxins can be obtained very easily. Simple bacterial culturing systems and extraction equipment dedicated to plant toxins are cheap and easily available, and can even be constructed at home. Many toxins affect the nervous systems of mammals by interfering with the transmission of nerve impulses, which gives them their high potential in bioterrorist attacks. Others are responsible for blockage of main cellular metabolism, causing cellular death. Moreover, most toxins act very quickly and are lethal in low doses (LD < 25 mg/kg), which are very often lower than chemical warfare agents. For these reasons we decided to prepare this review paper which main aim is to present the high potential of biological toxins as factors of bioterrorism describing the general characteristics, mechanisms of action and treatment of most potent biological toxins. In this paper we focused on six most danger toxins: botulinum toxin, staphylococcal enterotoxins, toxins, ricin, abrin and T-2 toxin. We hope that this paper will help in understanding the problem of availability and potential of biological toxins.