Why is anthrax considered a potential biological weapon?

Anthrax is considered a potential biological weapon due to a combination of characteristics that make it highly effective for causing mass casualties. It is lethal, inexpensive to produce in large quantities, and can be manufactured in facilities that are relatively easy to conceal.12

Key factors contributing to its use as a weapon include:

• Resilience: The bacterium forms spores that are highly resistant to degradation, including exposure to ultraviolet light, allowing them to persist in the environment.12
• Versatility: It can be converted into powder or liquid forms, enabling dispersal through various delivery systems such as missiles, aircraft, or artillery.2
• Potency: The spores are small enough to lodge easily in human lungs, and because the disease has a short incubation period and high lethality, even small amounts can have a devastating impact.2

The use of such agents to cause harm is a profound violation of human rights and global security, and international efforts like the Biological Weapons Convention exist to prohibit their development and stockpiling.2