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Biologic Weapons Updated 12/2010

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BASICS

  • Description
  • Etiology

DIAGNOSIS

  • Signs and Symptoms
  • Essential Workup
  • Tests
  • Differential Diagnosis

TREATMENT

  • Pre-hospital
  • Initial Stabilization
  • ED Treatment
  • Medication (Drugs)
  • In-patient Considerations

Ongoing Care

  • Follow-Up Recommendations
The following is an excerpt....
BASICS
Description
  • Defined as naturally occurring organisms or toxins that are purified and prepared for mass dissemination with intent of causing mass morbidity, mortality, and social disruption
  • Organisms include bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
  • Over 400 potential or actualized etiologic agents capable of being used as biological weapon:
    • Characterized by their relatively low cost compared with other weapons of mass destruction (WMD), high potency, and their ability to be delivered in a stealthy manner
    • Stealth quality of biologic weapons comes from organism’s natural incubation period.
  • Easy to conceal and difficult to detect:
    • Agents often invisible to naked eye, odorless, and tasteless
  • Patients typically present to various health care facilities with host of common complaints, adding to delay in recognition of ...

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FIGURE 72-1. Comparison of progression of smallpox rash and chicken pox rash. From World Health Organization. (2001) . WHO slide set on the diagnosis of smallpox. Credit: Reproduced by permission of the World Health Organization. Available at: http://www.who.int/emc/ diseases/smallpox/slideset/index.htm. Accessed June 26, 2006.
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