Lecture 22. Biowarfare - Scenarios and Viruses

Question 1

What are Top Officials exercises (TOPOFF)?

Answer 1

Exercises designed to simulate actual WMD threats by fictionalised international terrorist organisations and involved live exercise play

Question 2

What was the Hanuman Redux exercise?

Answer 2

Suspicious device was found in an area where hotel guests had gathered as a result of a fire at the hotel

Question 3

How can anthrax spores be detected?

Answer 3

1. Detection of capsule and cell wall antigens by fluorescent antibody/immunohistochemical techniques
2. B. anthracis-specific PCR
3. Detection of antibodies in infected people
4. Dipicolinic acid (a universal and specific component of bacterial spores) detection?

Question 4

What are viral haemorrhagic fevers?

Answer 4

A group of illnesses caused by several distinct families of viruses
Multiple organ systems in the body are affected
Characteristically, the vascular system is damaged - often accompanied by haemorrhage (bleeding)

Question 5

What are four aetiological agents of viral haemorrhagic fevers?

Answer 5

Arenaviridae: e.g Lassa fever
Bunyaviridae: e.g Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever
Flaviviridae: e.g dengue and yellow fever
Filoviridae: e.g Ebola and Marburg viruses.

Question 6

What are all haemorrhagic fever viruses?

Answer 6

RNA viruses, covered (enveloped) in a fatty (lipid) coating. Their survival is dependent on an animal or insect host, called the natural reservoir (humans are not the natural reservoir)

Question 7

How are haemorrhagic fevers transmitted?

Answer 7

When humans come into contact with infected hosts. However, with some of these viruses (e.g. Ebola), people can transmit the virus to one another

Question 8

What is thought to be the natural host of ebola?

Answer 8

Fruit bat

Question 9

What is the incubation period of ebola?

Answer 9

2 to 21 days, during which the infected person is not infectious

Question 10

What is case fatality rate of Ebola?

Answer 10

Typically over 60% fatalities, reduced since 2012 to ~40% by re-hydration treatment: except 2018- 2020, with a case fatality rate of ~60%

Question 11

Is there a cure, established drug treatment or vaccine for ebola?

Answer 11

No, no, not fully tested

Question 12

What is a candidate Ebola vaccine?

Answer 12

rVSV-ZEBOV: recombinant Vesicular Stomatitis Virus-Zaire Ebolavirus, in which the gene for the native VSV envelope glycoprotein is replaced with that from the Ebola virus

Question 13

What is the causitive agent of smallpox?

Answer 13

Variola major

Question 14

What are the symptoms of smallpox?

Answer 14

Spots, extensive rash and fever

Question 15

How is smallpox transmitted?

Answer 15

By direct and prolonged face-to-face contact, infected bodily fluids and contaminated bedding or clothing.
Smallpox is not known to be transmitted by insects or animals