BIOLOGICAL, CHEMICAL, NUCLEAR TERRORISM

chlorine gas

phosgene gas

__as pulmonary agent

mustard gas

blistering agent

1. chlorine and phosgene gas as pulmonary agent

2. mustard gas as blistering agent

3. the geneva protocol

4. nerve agents

chemical terrorism include

chlorine gas and phosgene gas

used in April 22,1915 in which 60 tons of this gas were used

chlorine gas and phosgene gas

Caused grotesque choking death of 10 thousand troops

yellowish frothy

clear

Chlorine produces __ sputum while for

Phosgene it is __, that is before death.

chlorine gas and phosgene gas

The mechanism of action is that it damages the brain or

the membranes that separates the air sacs (alveoli)

from capillary blood vessels.

Once it does that, the fluid or the plasma would leak into

the air sacs and accumulate and prevent air exchange.

This is why the one infected will choke

The victim is usually unable to get enough oxygen and

eventually suffocates to death in a 2 - 24 hour period.

MUSTARD GAS

Used in World war I in the summer of 1917, Introduced

by the Germans.

MUSTARD GAS

Causes blistering of the skin and internal organs.

MUSTARD GAS

The skin, eyes, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, mucous

membranes and as well as the bone marrow can be

severely damaged using __ gas

THE GENEVA PROTOCOL

Because of the use of these pulmonary and blistering

agents, there was a ____. The league of

nations met at Geneva and they had the Geneva

protocol.

THE GENEVA PROTOCOL

banned use of chemical weapons during WWI

38

1925

geneva protocol was siged by _ nations in

tabun

sarin

soman

germans developed “nerve agents” such as

NERVE AGENTS

The mechanism of action is that it disrupts nerve

communication w/ the organs they stimulate.

NERVE AGENTS

The nerve is normal but the transition of nerve impulse

to muscle or other organ causes overactivity.

Interfere with basic bodily functions

1. Pupils become small (pinpoint)

2. rhinorrhea

3. excessive salivation

4. small amounts of muscle twitching known as FASCICULATIONS

symptoms caused by nerve agents

NERVE AGENTS

death as soon as 1-10 mins after inhalation

NERVE AGENTS

vapors are heavier than air - sink to the ground

NERVE AGENTS

liquid form is heavier than wter

VX

A new nerve agent chemical weapons: developed from

ordinary insecticides and/or pesticides

Great Britain

who made VX in the 1950s

VX

More persistent as it remains in liquid form for longer

than 24 hours.

VX

Accidental release in Dugway, Utah (killing more than

6000 sheep)

AGENT ORANGE

Used in the vietnam war (1960s)

AGENT ORANGE

Herbicide used to defoliate vegetation

AGENT ORANGE

Contains DIOXIN (tetrachlorodibenzodioxin)

DIOXIN (tetrachlorodibenzodioxin)

agent orange contains

1986

when did the Environmental Protection Agency

prohibited agent orange use anywhere

1. non-Hodgkin's lymphomas,

2. sarcomas,

3. carcinomas

After agent orange was used in the US in the vietnam war many victims were linked to

1972

In the year _, there was a convention on prohibition

of biological and chemical weapons.

140 countries

Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, and Stockpiling of Biologic and Toxic Weapons and Their Destruction

THE 1972 CONVENTION ON PROHIBITION OF

BIOLOGIC AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS

_ countries, including the US signed the _

1988

Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, and Stockpiling of Biologic and Toxic Weapons and Their Destruction

That limits further development and use of biological

and chemical weapons but there were still breaches of

this convention:

__ - Libya built chemical weapons guise as

Pharmaceutical factory

afghanistan

cambodia

iraq

iran

laos

Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, and Stockpiling of Biologic and Toxic Weapons and Their Destruction

That limits further development and use of biological

and chemical weapons but there were still breaches of

this convention:

1980s → use of chemical weapons in what countries

March 1995

Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, and Stockpiling of Biologic and Toxic Weapons and Their Destruction

That limits further development and use of biological

and chemical weapons but there were still breaches of

this convention:

__ - Aum Shinrikyo released sarin nerve gas in Tokyo Subway System which killed 11 people

thickeners

WEAPONIZATION AND DELIVERY OF CHEMICAL

AGENTS

what is added to increase viscosity

carrier agent

WEAPONIZATION AND DELIVERY OF CHEMICAL

AGENTS

what js used to improve dispersion

Pneumatic

Mechanical munitions

Dissemination device

WEAPONIZATION AND DELIVERY OF CHEMICAL

AGENTS

Appropriate delivery device:

aerosolize (1-7 microns)

WEAPONIZATION AND DELIVERY OF CHEMICAL

AGENTS

GOAL:

1. nerve agents

2. blood agents

3. blister agents

4. heavy metals

5. pulmonary agents

6. dioxins

7. incapacitating agents/psychotomimetic agents

8. corrosive acids and bases

CHEMICAL WEAPONS INCLUDE:

1. sarin

2. soman

3. tabun

4. VX

5. malathion

6. carbaryl (Sevin)

nerve agents examples

NERVE AGENTS

Interfere with transmission of message

from nerve to organ or muscle

Blood Agents

Usually absorbed after inhalation; in the

bloodstream cause lethal damage by

acting on the cytochrome oxidase

enzyme responsible for cellular

respiration. Oxygen starvation occurs

because cells are unable to use

oxygen.

1. hydrogen cyanide

2. cyanogen chloride

Blood Agents include

Blister Agents

Cause blistering of skin as well as

internal organs and tissues. This

destroys the tissue and also causes

massive numbers of mutations by

crosslinking DNA and RNA.

1. nitrogen and sulfur mustards

2. lewisite

blood agents example

arsenic

heavy metals include

Heavy Metals

Metallic elements form poisonous

compounds, disrupting

cellular-metabolic processes.

Pulmonary Agents

Damage the membranes of the lungs,

causing fluid buildup and oxygen

deprivation and eventually suffocation.

tetrachlorodibenzodioxine

DIoxins include

DIOXINS

Associated with lymphomas, sarcomas,

carcinomas, chloracne, and a host of

other diseases. (A major long-term

complication is type 2 diabetes.)

Incapacitating/ psychotomimetic agents

Cause pseudopsychotic disorders;

affect ability to make decisions; cause

disorientation, any of which could

incapacitate an individual. Death due to

respiratory arrest can occur with high

doses.

Quinuclidinylbenzylate

phencyclidine

incapacitating/ psychotomimetic agents include

Corrosive acids and bases

Cause severe burning and destruction

of tissue in exposed areas.

Sulfuric acid

sodium hydroxide

Corrosive acids and bases include

Cholinesterase

LEVEL A LAB Measures increased _ activity is the

hallmark for nerve agent victims

GC MS

__ is to detect metabolites of vesicants such as

mustard gas or luicides

Ernest Roentgen

In 1895, _ discovered x-rays

Henri Becquerel

_ identified the penetrating radiations

are emitted by uranium

Albert Einstein

In 1905, _ formulated “E = mc” in which

it explains that matter could be converted to energy

Manhattan Project

In 1942 → Los Alamos, New Mexico, central site for

laboratory research the physics and design of atomic

weapons

It was called the _ and it produced

the 1st atomic weapons in 30 months

It was used on August 6, 1945. The plane "Little Boy"

dropped the nuclear weapon on Hiroshima, Japan

LEVEL A LABORATORIES

Role: SENTINEL LAB

LEVEL A LABORATORIES

are the first to signal that a

bioterrorism event has occurred.

LEVEL A LABORATORIES

Practices BSL-1, BSL-2, BSL-3 but practices BSL-1

more often

LEVEL A LABORATORIES

They practice BSL-2 and BSL-3 when handling

potential pathogens that will produce aerosols such

as in culture manipulations.

LEVEL B LABORATORIES

practices BSL-2 and BSL-3.

LEVEL C LABORATORIES

practices BSL-3

LEVEL D LABORATORIES

practices BSL 3 but is more advanced than the three other laboratories

and archives organisms for future studies.

BSL 1 PRACTICES

FOR WORK WITH AGENTS OF MINIMAL HAZARD

BSL-2 PRACTICES

FOR AGENTS OF MODERATE HAZARD

Type A1

BSL 2 TYPES

30% air exhausted to room

Type A2

BSL 2 TYPES

30% air exhausted to outside

Type B1

BSL 2 TYPES

70% air exhausted to outside

Type B2

BSL 2 TYPES

100% air exhausted to outside

BSL-3 PRACTICES

Use BSC-Class Il 100% air exhausted to outside

through double high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA)

filtration or HEPA plus incineration. The cabinet is

gas tight and sealed, with operation performed

through rubber gloves.

BSL 2 PRACTICES

use leakproof containers

BSL 3 PRACTICES

use PPE

Bacillus anthracis

causative agent of ANTHRAX

ANTHRAX

can grow in vegetative forms which can be killed

with ordinary disinfectants or germicides.

ANTHRAX

When conditions are not ideal for growth, they

produce spores which are now hard to kill.

ANTHRAX

Usually associated with grazing animals such as

sheep, goats, cattle and wildlife, acquiring spores as

they feed on vegetation

when the ph of the organic soil increases at an alkaline ph.

when do spores form in anthrax

1. inhalation

2. cutaneous

3. gastrointestinal

MODES OF TRANSMISSION of ANTHRAX

INHALATION

MOT OF ANTHRAX

as biphasic disease

ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISTRESS

MOT ANTHRAX

Inhalation - infected person will have mild flu-like symptoms and

progress to the acute phase, wherein they will

develop

CUTANEOUS

MOT ANTHRAX

appears as a black scab (eschar)

cutaneous

MOT ANTHRAX

spores are introduced beneath the skin by

inoculation or contamination of a pre-existing lesion

or break in the skin

1. oropharyngeal

2. intestinal

MOT ANTHRAX

2 TYPES OF GASTROINTESTINAL

oropharyngeal

MOT ANTHRAX

There is neck swelling and

difficulty in swallowing.

meningitis

ALL THREE MOT OF ANTHRAX CAN BE COMPLICATED BY

1. 1-3 micron spore size

2. Lack of Clumping

3. Quantity of Spores

4. Effective Delivery System

Criteria for Weapons Grade Anthrax:

Bacillus anthracis

Large gram-positive bacilli (1-1.5 by 3-5 um), which

may be gram-variable after 72 hours

spores can be found in culture, especially under

non-CO, atmosphere but are nonswollen and are

terminal or subterminal.

Bacillus anthracis

nonhemolytic, nonpigmented, dry "ground-glass"

surface colonies with irregular edges having

comma-shaped projections (Medusa head).

Bacillus anthracis

The colony has a sticky (tenacious) consistency

when teased with a loop.

Bacillus anthracis

Nonmotile, catalase-positive, urease-negative,

nitrate-positive, encapsulated bacillus that can be

lysed by gamma phage (gamma phage typing is

usually performed by Level B or C laboratory).

PLAGUE

BLACK DEATH

PLAGUE

SECOND PANDEMIC

Yersinia pestis

PLAGUE caused by

PLAGUE

transmitted by rat flea

ORIENTAL FLEA: Xenopsylla cheopis

HUMAN FLEA: Pulex irritans

ORIENTAL FLEA:

HUMAN FLEA: