Transcript biological agents

EFFECTS OF BIOLOGICAL AND
CHEMICAL WEAPONS
TERMINAL LEARNING OBJECTIVE
LEARN THE EFFECTS OF CHEMICAL AND
BIOLOGICAL AGENTS.
ACCORDING TO: FM 8-285, FM 3-3, FM 3-9 AND SOME
NASTY PICTURES
AVOID BECOMING AN CASUALTY AND TO KNOW
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND OTHERS.
BIOLOGICAL AGENTS
• Definition: agents characterized by
microorganisms or toxins derived from
living organisms that produces death,
disease or toxicity in humans, animals, or
plants.
BIOLOGICAL AGENTS
• ANTHRAX
• SMALL POX
• PLAGUE
BIO
Biological Weapons
Anthrax
Anthrax: A disease caused by the bacteria bacillus anthracis, which is found
in soil and sometimes carried by animals.
Spread: Anthrax develops differently depending on whether the spores enter
the body through cuts in the skin, in contaminated food or by inhalation.
Effects: Inhalation and intestinal anthrax frequently kill their victims.
Untreated skin anthrax can lead to blood poisoning, which can also kill.
Symptoms: Inhalation anthrax has flu-like symptoms, intestinal anthrax has
symptoms similar to food poisoning, skin anthrax starts with lesions.
Lethal Amount: One billionth of a gram
Protection: Can be treated with antibiotics. A vaccine is available.
Iraq’s program: Iraq has admitted making 8,500 liters and filling bombs and
ballistic missile warheads with this. The UK says enough growth medium
to produce another 25,000 liters is unaccounted for.
Biological Weapons
Anthrax
• Cutaneous (skin) anthrax can occur when bacteria enter a break in the
skin. Scratch, scrape, cut, bug bite.
– Begins as a small bump, progresses to a larger blister in 1-2 days,
it turns into a painless, open sore with a tell-tale black center of
dead tissue
– This form of anthrax is highly treatable, about 20% of untreated
victims die.
Biological Weapons
Cutaneous Anthrax
Biological Weapons
Anthrax
• Gastrointestinal (stomach) anthrax can occur when eating raw or
undercooked contaminated meat.
– Initial signs are nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, and fever –
followed by severe abdominal pain, vomiting blood, and severe
diarrhea.
– This form is deadly in 25% to 60% of cases but is extremely rare
in humans and almost unknown in the U.S.
Biological Weapons
Anthrax
• Inhalation anthrax can occur when inhaling as few as 5k-6k anthrax
spores – perhaps in a single deep breath.
– Initial symptoms may develop in 1-6 days, and resemble the
common cold or flu: sore throat, mild fever, muscle aches, and
tiredness.
– Mild symptoms can progress very rapidly after a few days into
severe breathing problems and shock – if left untreated, death rate
exceeds 99%.
– Even when treated aggressively in a state-of-the-art hospital, once
severe symptoms develop, 45% to 80% of patients could die.
BIO
Biological Weapons
Botulism
Botulism: A disease caused by botulinum nerve toxin – produced by
clostridium botulinum bacteria.
Spread: Via wounds on the skin, or through contaminated food supplies.
Effects: Toxins disrupt the nervous system causing muscle paralysis, leading to
possible death by suffocation within hours or days.
Symptoms: Blurred double vision, nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness leading
to paralysis.
Lethal Amount: One billionth of a gram
Protection: Can be treated with anti-toxin injection.
Iraq: Iraq has admitted making 19,000 liters of botulinum toxin and filling
bombs and ballistic missile warheads with it.
BIO
Biological Weapons
Ricin
Ricin: Natural toxin derived from castor beans.
Spread: By inhalation, ingestion or injection.
Effects: When inhaled, ricin breaks down lung tissue and can kill within
36 - 72 hours. It can also be fatal when ingested or injected, with
death usually occurring at least 3 days after exposure.
Symptoms: Fever, chest tightness, cough, nausea and joint pain if
inhaled; nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and severe diarrhea if
ingested or injected.
Protection: No vaccine or anti-toxin. Lethal dose: 500 micrograms.
Iraqi development: Unscom inspectors say they have found evidence
that Iraq produced ricin. Some reports say Iraq carried out a weapons
test with ricin, but abandoned production when it was unsuccessful.
There is concern that a castor oil plant at Fallujah which has been
rebuilt in recent years may be linked to ricin manufacture.
Biological Weapons
Small Pox
• The Disease – Smallpox is a serious, contagious, and sometimes fatal
infectious disease. There is no specific treatment for smallpox
disease, and the only prevention is vaccination.
• Transmission – Generally, direct and fairly prolonged face-to-face
contact is required to spread smallpox from one person to another, it
can also be spread through direct contact with infected bodily fluids or
contaminated objects such as bedding or clothing.
• Symptoms – The incubation period averages about 12-14 days. The
1st symptoms include fever, malaise, head and body aches, and
sometimes vomiting. A rash emerges first as small spots on the
tongue and in the mouth. These spots develop into sores that break
open and spread large amounts of the virus into the mouth and throat,
at this time the person becomes most contagious.
Biological Weapons
Small Pox
Biological Weapons
Plague
• The Disease – Humans are incidental hosts and are usually infected by
the bite of rodent fleas, it can also be acquired by direct contact with
infectious materials or inhalation of infective respiratory droplets.
• Symptoms – Initial signs and symptoms of Plague can be nonspecific,
with fever, chills, malaise, myalgia, nausea, prostration, sore throat,
and headache. Bubonic plague, the most common form, usually
presents with painful, swollen lymph nodes that develop in the
afferent lymphatic chain draining the site of the flea bite.
GAS
Chemical Weapons
Introduction
• Chemical agents are broken down into 3 types:
• NERVE – BLOOD - BLISTER
• Iraq has admitted to manufacturing the chemical agents mustard gas,
VX, Sarin, Tabun and Soman before the 1991 Gulf War, although
much of this has been destroyed by UNSCOM inspectors.
• However, intelligence estimates that 360 tons of chemical warfare
agent remain unaccounted for – and that Iraq could produce mustard
gas within weeks and nerve agents such as VX, tabun and sarin within
months.
• Iraq says anything that has not been destroyed will have degraded
beyond use by now.
GAS
CHEMICAL AGENTS
Definition:
A chemical compound which through its chemical
properties, produces lethal or damaging effects on
humans.
GAS
Blister Agents
Mustard Gas
• Mustard gas: 'Mustard' is liquid at room temperature, but is most
commonly used in its gas form - which has a strong smell similar to
horseradish or garlic.
• Absorption: Contact with skin or inhalation
• Effects: Mustard gas is a blistering agent. Burning the eyes and skin if
exposed to it, and burning the lungs, mouth and throat if it is inhaled.
It is not normally lethal, but can cause cancer and serious
disfigurement.
• Symptoms: Conjunctivitis, skin burns, throat pain, cough and
susceptibility to infection and pneumonia. Symptoms are not usually
noticed until 1 – 6 hours after exposure.
• Protection: Protective clothing and decontamination, followed by
antibiotics.
• Iraqi program: Iraq has admitted making 2,850 tons of mustard gas,
filled bombs with it ,and used it against Kurds at Halabja in 1988.
GAS
Nerve Agents
VX
• VX: A clear, colorless liquid – technically named methylphosphonothioic
acid and described as the most deadly nerve agent ever created.
• Absorption: Through eyes, lungs and skin
• Effects: Like other nerve agents, VX attacks the nervous system – severe
doses can cause death within 15 minutes of exposure.
• Lethal dose: Fraction of a drop
• Symptoms: Small doses trigger nasal discharge, twitching, chest tightness,
wheezing and headaches – severe doses lead to convulsions, confusion and
respiratory failure.
• Protection: Immediate injection of atropine
• Iraqi program: Iraq had admitted making 3.9 tons, including 1.5 tons
which the UN says remain unaccounted for. Also unaccounted for are 300
tons of a chemical which Iraq had used only for the production of VX. VX
was used in the Iraqi attack on the Kurds at Halabja and traces of it have also
been found on remnants of ballistic missile warheads.
GAS
Nerve Agents
Sarin
• Sarin: A colorless liquid several times more deadly than cyanide,
sarin is related to a group of pesticides and was initially developed in
Germany in the 1930s.
• Effects: Sarin attacks the nervous system when inhaled or absorbed
through the skin. Inhalation can cause death within 1 – 10 minutes of
exposure.
• Lethal dose: 0.5 milligrams
• Symptoms: Pupils shrink to pinpoints and sweating and twitching
precede symptoms similar to those for VX exposure.
• Protection: Injection of atropine immediately after contact.
• Iraqi program: Iraq has admitted to manufacturing 795 tons of sarin,
filling bombs with it and developing ballistic missile warheads to
deliver it. Iraq used sarin against Iranian troops during the Iran-Iraq
war, and against Kurds at Halabja in 1988.
GAS
Nerve Agents
Tabun
• Tabun: Also known as GA, tabun was discovered in Germany by Dr
Gerhard Schrader, who also first developed sarin.
• Effects: If inhaled or absorbed through the eyes or skin, tabun can kill
in as little as one or two minutes.
• Symptoms: Similar to VX and sarin.
• Protection: Injection of atropine immediately after contact.
• Iraqi program: Iraq has admitted to producing 210 tons of tabun and
filling bombs with the agent. A UN-backed team has confirmed that
Iraq used tabun as early as 1984 against Iranian forces. Tabun was
also used in the Iraqi attack on Kurds at Halabja in 1988.
GAS
Nerve Agents
Soman
• Soman: A man made colorless, tasteless liquid, with a slight camphor
odor (vicks vapor rub) or rotting fruit. , Soman is related to a group of
pesticides and was initially developed in Germany in 1944.
• Effects: Soman attacks the nervous system when inhaled or absorbed
through the skin. Soman is twice as lethal as Tabun. It can kill within
30 seconds.
• Lethal dose: 0.5 milligrams
• Symptoms: Pupils shrink to pinpoints and sweating and twitching
precede symptoms similar to those for VX exposure.
• Protection: Injection of atropine immediately after contact.
• Iraqi program: Iraq has admitted to manufacturing soman, filling
bombs with it and developing ballistic missile warheads to deliver it.
Iraq used soman against Iranian troops during the Iran-Iraq war, and
against Kurds at Halabja in 1988.
Chemical Agent Symptoms and 1st Aid
Nerve Agent
CONTAMINATION
AVOIDANCE
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PROTECTIVE MASKS
MOPP SUITS
DECONTAMINATION
TRAIN FOR NBC POSSIBILITIES
MOPP Levels
LEVEL
MOPP
Ready
0 (Zero)
MASK
Readily
Available
Carried
1 (One)
OVEROVERGARMENT BOOTS
Carried
Readily
Available
Worn
GLOVES
Readily Readily
Available Available
Readily Readily
Available Available
Carried Carried
2 (Two)
Carried
Worn
Worn
Carried
3 (Three)
Worn
Worn
Worn
Carried
4 (Four)
Worn
Worn
Worn
Worn
Readily
Available
QUESTIONS