exam 3 bioterrorism Flashcards
bioterrorism
the use of pathogens or toxins to produce death and disease in humans, plants, or animals
What kind of agents are used and how are they spread?
- usually naturally found agents that have been modified
- spread by air, water, and food
Siege of Kaffa
- first record of bioterrorism
- spread the plague by catapulting dead soldiers over the wall
French and Indian war
British government gave the Indians blankets that had been used by small pox patients
Sino-Japanese war
Japanese dropped canisters of fleas with yersina pestis (black plague)
WW1
German agent caused disease in horses
-Infected Maryland horses with glanders
Chicago bioterrorism
-college students tried to start a terrorist group and threatened to put typhoid in the water supply
Is small pox eratdicated
- kinda
- US and Russia still have frozen strains
- super dangerous bc noone has immunity now
Oregon bioterrorism
- Salmonella in salad bars
- followers of Colt wanted to sway the election
Tokyo bioterrorism
Religious group released anthrax spores, but it was the wrong strain, so noone got hurt
2001 anthrax attacks
- ppl mailed anthrax spores to the media and politicians
- 1 week after 9/11
- killed 5 ppl and infected 17
Category A definition and examples
- high mortality, public panic, easily transmitted
- Anthrax, small pox, Herorrhagic viruses (ebola and marburg)
Anthrax
- not contageous, but spores can easily enter skin
- 1% fatal through skin; 90% fatal if inhaled
- vaccine for federal employees
small pox
- highly contageous virus
- transmitted thru atmosphere
- 20-40% fatality
- People are no longer vaccinated
Hemmorrhagic viruses
- ebola and marburg
- no cure
- 50% fatality
- multiple organ failiure
Category B definition and examples
- Easy to disseminate, but low mortality
- Food safety threats :salmonella, e. coli, staph, shigella
- Water safety threats: vibrio cholera, crstoporidium, typhas
Category C definition and examples
- emerging pathogens, easy to engineer
- SARS, H1N1, Drug resistant TB, rabies, HIV
Characteristics of bioweapons
- cause disease and/or death
- more severe disease = more terror
- availability, propagation, dispersal
Bioweapon availability
- -before 1996, most could be bought commercialy
- not any more
Bioweapon propagation
- once obtained, need to be purified
- once purified, need to stay stable
- infecting dose varies based on dispersal agent/route and host succeptibility
Aerosol Dispersion
- Route-determined exposure
- impacted by wind
- exposes many ppl, but is difficult to control
- must be inhaled
- can be infected by environment (rain, temp., wind)
- Can be used on smaller scale when appropriately prepared (2001 anthrax)
Food/Water dispersion
- more specific and easier to control
- High dilution factor leads to less affective
- agricultural bioterrorism is a thing
- processed foods can be contaminated at factory
Steps for preparing for attack
- monitor
- recognize early warning signs
- vaccinate
- wear protective gear
Monitoring
- need to determine if its an attack or just natural
- undetected attack causes mass illness and overwhelms health systems
