DETECTION OF MEDICAL DEFENSE AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS

File: 123096_sep96_decls1_0084.txt
Page: 0084
Total Pages: 109

Subject: DETECTION OF MEDICAL DEFENSE AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS       

Unit: OTSG        

Parent Organization: HSC         

Box  ID: BX003203

Folder Title: DETECTION OF MEDICAL DEFENSE AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS                                       

Document Number:          1

Folder Seq  #:         21












                                                     NAFO UNCLASSIFIEI)


                                                         CIIAPTER 6


                                            DIAGNOSIS AND RAPID IDENTIFICATION

                   GENERAL

                   601.    Detection of a biological att-ack at the time it is occurring, by use of
                   dELeCLion devices, is not yet feasible.      Until SL.:h Systems are developed, and
                   fielded, a biological attack may not be detected @ntil the first casualties
                   occur.   Such an attack may be silent, odorless, tasteless, and invisible.
                   Detection and alarm systems are in the early phases of research and are not
                   likely Lo be fielded for many years.      Even development of a system for rapid
                   identification for after-the-fact detection based on assay of clinical
                   specimens has not been Completed.     Rapid methods of laboratory diagnosis for
                   many biological agents are @ist now being developed.

                   RECOGNITION OF ATTACK

                   602.    It is likely that an attack will be completed before the local
                   commander, or his medical advisor, is aware that it ha's taken place.          The
                   medical officer must attempt to distinguish an epidemic of natural origins
                   from a BW attack. The number of people affected, the time relationships, the
                   similarity Of the clinical picture, the sharply-defined geographical
                   boundaries and the absence of common exposures to water or certain foods will
                   produce an epidemiological picture that can be explained only by exposure to
                   an artificially-disseminated etiologic agent.

                   603.    In the event of a BW attack, the most important factor in providing
edical management will be the
                   rapid establishment of   an accurate, specific etiologic diagnosis. In contrast
                   to nalurally-occurring   epidemics, in which the disease incidence increases
                   over a period of weeks   or months, an artificially-induced epidemic will peak
                   in a few hours or days. Since a BW attack may be silent or nearly so, the
                   first indication of an attack will likely be the appearance of a wave of
                   disease casualties. man himself is the most sensitive biodetector currently
                   available. Early clinical signs and symptoms may be nonspecific or atypical
                   of the natural disease. Medical personnel may be unable to differentiate
                   natural disease epidemics from overt or covert enemy attacks. The incubacion
                   period of most infectious diseases is variable, but may be as long as 3
                   weeks. Onset of illness following exposure to toxin agents may range from
                   minutes to several hours. Considerable time may elapse following a BW attack
                   before the extent of the exposure is perceived. Some potential BW agents are
                   transmissible among humans, so spread after the initial attack may be
                   expected.
                                    Al

                   INFECTIOUS AGENTS

                   604.    It is essential  that the infectious agent be identified in order to
                   provide some rational approach to medical management. Currently, however, the
                   best medical diagnostic and research laboratories generally require up to 24
                   hours for identification of most bacteria and a few fungi, approximately 4


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Document 109 f:/Week-36/BX003203/DETECTION OF MEDICAL DEFENSE AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS/detection of medical defense against biological :1217960927452
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-36
Box ID = BX003203
Unit = OTSG
Parent Organization = HSC
Folder Title = DETECTION OF MEDICAL DEFENSE AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
Folder Seq # = 21
Subject = DETECTION OF MEDICAL DEFENSE AGAINST BIOLOGICAL
Document Seq # = 1
Document Date =
Scan Date =
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 17-DEC-1996