### Question
How is the term biological agent defined?


### Answer
The term **biological agent** is defined in *18 U.S.C. § 178* as the following:

> any micro-organism, virus, infectious substance, or biological product that may be engineered as a result of biotechnology, or any naturally occurring or bioengineered component of any such microorganism, virus, infectious substance, or biological product, capable of causing—


(A) death, disease, or other biological malfunction in a human, an animal, a plant, or another living organism

#### Citation:
  - *18 U.S.C. § 178*
  - Heading: **PART I-CRIMES > CHAPTER 10-BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS**

