The History of Anthrax Weaponization in the Soviet Union

Ioannis Nikolakakis; Spyros N Michaleas; George Panayiotakopoulos; Theodore G Papaioannou; Marianna Karamanou

doi:10.7759/cureus.36800

The History of Anthrax Weaponization in the Soviet Union

Cureus. 2023 Mar 28;15(3):e36800. doi: 10.7759/cureus.36800. eCollection 2023 Mar.

Authors

Ioannis Nikolakakis¹, Spyros N Michaleas¹, George Panayiotakopoulos², Theodore G Papaioannou¹, Marianna Karamanou¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of History of Medicine and Medical Ethics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, GRC.
² Department of Pharmacology, University of Patras, School of Medicine, Patra, GRC.

Abstract

In this paper, we reveal the anthrax weaponization in the Soviet Union and its impact on biowarfare research, technology, and public health that resulted in the development of the first Soviet Anthrax vaccine and the subsequent vaccination of animals and humans en masse. We assume that there are cases that a biowarfare technology was incorporated into the civilian industry and benefited public health. However, the legacy of bioweapons today still poses an asymmetric threat to public health and safety.

Keywords: bacillus anthracis; biopreparat; biowarfare; bioweapon; sverdlovsk.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Special Account for Research Grants.