exam 3 bioterrorism Flashcards
(27 cards)
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
