CBR Threats Lecture Powerpoint Flashcards
Weapon of mass destruction definition
Any weapon designed or intended to cause death or serious bodily injury thru release, dissemination, or impact of toxic/poisonous chemicals or their precursors, release radiation or radioactivity at a dangerous level to human life, any weapon involving a disease organism, or an explosive greater than 4 ounces incendiary, poison gas, bomb, grenade, or rocket
Anthrax
Bacteria with protective coating due to its spore so resistant to survival in air, sunlight, soil, and water, delivered by aerosol and near 100% lethal in inhaled form causing 1-6 incubation period followed by flu like symptoms progressing to severe respiratory distress with death, can desporulate as long as 60 days after exposure
Cutaneous antrhax
Vesicular lesion which progresses with ulceration, 20% morbidity with no treatment, not deadly typically
Anthrax decontamination (2)
Sporicidal agent required including chlorine and iodine, vaccine available but limited and required yearly
Anthrax treatment options in adults (2) and children (2)
-Ciprofloxacin
-doxycycline
(2 most common agents, need early treatment, usually inhaled is futile)
- ciprofloxacin
- penG high dose
Cholera
Bacteria causing intestinal rice stool diarrhea infection, often found in wet areas with standing water, does not survive well in air or pure water, delivered via water contamination, food, or fecal oral route, death occurs from dehydration/electrolyte problems
Cholera decontamination (3)
- Vaccine only effective for 6 months
- Decontamination of water
- Hand washing
Plague
Bacteria carried by rodents with transmission directly or by fleas, delivery by infected fleas or aerosol, either 1 of 3 forms either lung pneumonic (bloody sputum), skin bubonic (swollen lymph nodes), or blood borne from either lung or skin as a secodary
Plague decontamination (2)
- vaccine available with booster every 2-3 years
- heat/sun/bactericidals
Plague treatment options (4)
- respiratory isolation mandatory for first 48 hours of treatment
- streptomycin
- doxycycline
- chloramphenicol for meningitis form
Tularemia
Carried by insects and rodents, may be inhaled, delivered via aerosol or infected animals, signs and symptoms see skin ulcers with lymph nodes, fever, headache, flu like symptoms, chest pain, fever, nonproductive cough, weight loss
Tularemia decontamination (4)
- vaccine
- doxycycline as prophylaxis
- heat
- bactericidals
Q fever
Inhaled infection carried by sheep, cattle, and goats, often diagnosed via vets, signs and symptoms from aerosol can be 10-20 days after exposure and not critically ill but incapacitating with fever, cough, chest pain lasting 2-20 days
Q fever treatment options (3)
- vaccine available in australia
- tetracycline within 8-12 days of exposure
- decontamination soap and water and hypochlorite
Smallpox
Virus easily produced, delivered by aerosol, sins and symptoms are fever, headache, vomiting, backache with rash appearing 2-3 days later with pustules on arms and face and signifcant scarring,
Smallpox decontamination (4)
- quarantine 16-17 days or until all lesions scabbed over
- decontamination soap and water
- vaccine available but limited
- respiratory protection
Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis
Mosquito borne disease from equine animals, aerosol delivery in weaponized form, signs and symptoms include fever, aching, severe headache/light sensitivity, (fever differentiates from migraine), nausea and vomiting
Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis (2)
- Investigational vaccine
- Routine disinfectants
Viral hemorrhagic fever
Diverse group of viruses geographically specific, commonality is hemorrhage associated with them, developed by aerosol when weaponized, cause fever, bleeding in skin and internal organs, aching, vomiting, diarrhea, mortality is highest with agents like ebola and zaire
Viral hemorrhagic fever decontamination (2)
- vaccine for yellow fever only
- decontamination of blood and body fluids especially
Viral hemorrhagic fever treatment options (4)
- supportive care
- avoid antiplatelet drugs
- replacement of clotting factors/platelets
- healthcare workers at high risk for needle stick transmission
List of viral hemorrhagic fever viruses (5)
- ebola
- hantaan
- yellow fever
- dengue
- west nile
Botulism
By-product of decayed food that causes neurological effect, when delivered as an aerosol much higher dose required to effect than ingested, generalized weakness, blurred vision, poor speech and swallowing, progressive descending paralysis** are all symptoms
Botulism decontamination (2)
- antitoxin
- water decontamination