History of biological warfare

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The modern concept of biological warfare involves the use of biological agents, of which there are pathogens, typically bacteria or viruses, and toxins, which are biologically produced poisons. The history of biological warfare begins in antiquity but was transformed in the 20th century via industrial warfare and advances in microbiology such as genetic engineering. In the ancient and medieval period, biological warfare commonly overlapped with chemical warfare. This included contamination of food, water, animals, weapons systems, fabrics. In the European Middle Ages, common weapons were poisoned arrows and catapults to launch cadavers or animal corpses. European colonization exposed native populations in the Americas and Australia to smallpox outbreaks, although evidence of successful intentional uses is limited. In World War I, the German Empire targeted horses and livestock with anthrax and glanders while France used burkholderia. The use of biological weapons in international warfare...

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