CAN COVID-19 BE A BIOTERRORISM ATTACK?: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Yıl 2024, Cilt: 27 Sayı: 3, 547 - 560, 26.09.2024

Pınar Yalçın Balçık , Burak Tekerek

https://doi.org/10.61859/hacettepesid.1452258

Öz

Bioterrorism is a concept with a long history dating back to ancient times. It is defined most clearly in the literature as the use of microorganisms or toxins to cause disease or death in humans, animals, or plants. In this context, the aim of this study is to investigate whether Covid-19, which rapidly spread from the city of Wuhan, China to the whole world in December 2019, is a biological attack. Accordingly, studies examining Covid-19 within the framework of bioterrorism have been systematically reviewed. This systematic review is based on English articles published between December 2019 and April 2023. Searches were conducted using keywords such as "Bioterrorism, covid 19", "Biological Weapon, Covıd 19", "Bioweapon, Covıd 19", "Biological Attack, Covid 19", "Biological warfere, Covıd 19", and "Biowarfere Covıd 19" in electronic databases including Web of Science, PubMed (including MEDLINE), Cochrane, and EBSCOhost between May 1, 2023, and May 30, 2023. In the reviewed articles, studies suggesting that Covid-19 is a bioterror attack mainly support their findings with clinical trials and community opinions, while studies denying that Covid-19 is a bioterror attack often emphasize conspiracy theories. Additionally, there are studies indicating the need for detailed investigations. The majority of studies examined in this systematic review indicate that Covid-19 is not the result of a bioterror attack. However, it is believed that further comprehensive studies conducted by health authorities are needed to prove the hypothesis that coronavirus is not a biological attack.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Bioterrosim, Covıd 19, Pandemic, Biologic weapon

COVID-19 BİYOTERÖR SALDIRI OLABİLİR Mİ?: SİSTEMATİK DERLEME

Öz

Biyoterörizm, geçmişten günümüze kadar uzanan tarihi çok eskilere dayanan bir kavramdır. Literatürde birçok tanımı bulunan biyoterörizmin en net tanımı insan, hayvan ve bitkilerde hastalık veya ölüm oluşturmak maksadıyla mikroorganizmaların ya da toksinlerinin kullanılmasıdır. Bu doğrultuda bu çalışmanın amacı Aralık 2019 tarihinde Çin’in Wuhan kentinden tüm dünyaya hızlı bir şekilde yayılan Covid-19’un biyolojik saldırı olup olmadığını incelemektir. Bu amaçtan hareketle Covid-19’u biyoterörizm kapsamında inceleyen çalışmalar sistematik olarak incelenmiştir. Sistematik derleme niteliğinde olan bu çalışma, Aralık 2019 ile Nisan 2023 tarihleri arasında yayınlanan İngilizce makalelere dayanmaktadır. 1 Mayıs 2023-30 Mayıs 2023 tarihleri arasında, Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane ve EBSCOhost elektronik veri tabanlarında “Bioterorism, Covid-19”, “Biological Weapon, Covid-19”, “Bioweapon, Covid-19”, “Biological Attack, Covid 19”, “Biological warfere, Covid 19”, “Biowarfere Covid 19” anahtar kelimeleri kullanarak taramalar yapılmıştır. İncelenen makalelerde, Covid-19’un biyoterör saldırı olduğunu ifade eden çalışmaların, daha çok klinik deneyler ve toplum görüşleri ile bulgularını destekledikleri görülürken, Covid-19’un biyoterör saldırı olmadığını ifade eden çalışmaların çoğunlukla komplo teorilerine vurgu yaptıkları görülmektedir. Bunun yanı sıra ayrıntılı çalışmaların yapılması gerektiğini ifade eden çalışmalar da vardır. Bu sistematik derlemede incelenen araştırmaların çoğunluğu, Covid-19'un bir biyoterör saldırı sonucu olmadığını ifade etmektedir. Ancak, koronavirüsün biyolojik bir saldırı olmadığı hipotezinin kanıtlanması için sağlık otoriteleri tarafından yapılmış daha fazla kapsamlı çalışmaya ihtiyaç olduğu düşünülmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Biyoterörizm, Covid-19, Pandemi, Biyolojik silah

Kaynakça

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