Document Page: First | Prev | Next | All | Image | This Release | Search
File: 123096_sep96_decls1_0087.txt
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
movement of a small number of representative patients to one or more
previously designated medical facilities. Evacuation of a few patients is
considered to have significant advantages over the movement of extensive,
specialized laboratory facilities to the affected area. Small mobile
laboratories cannot provide the wide range of services which probably will be
necessary but, under certain circumstances, such laboratories would be useful.
610. On the first reasonable assumption that an increased disease incidence
is due to artificially-disseminated organisms, such an emergency patient
transfer program for diagnostic purposes should, if feasible, be instituted.
The receiving facility might be an established treatment facility equipped
specifically for the care of patients with infectious disease, or a
specialized research center. Ideally it would be staffed with specially-
trained personnel and have the capability to definitively identify pathogenic
organisms. An alternative solution would be to locate the facility in close
proximity to a supporting Laboratory. By bringing the patient to such a
facility, the medical service would be able co concentrate its best infectious
-ca -on confirming the
disease, clinical, radiological, and la'cLaz.Qc)p pabilities
specific etiological diagnosis in the shortest possible time. Success or
failure in organizing the medical defence will depend on the rapidity and
accuracy of the diagnostic effort.
SPECIFIC IDENTIFICATION OF THE BW AGENT
s in the identification of the BW agent include:
a. Isolacion of the organism which is possible in one to two days for
some agents.
b. Decection Of toxin by mass spectroscopy, animal inoculation and
other methods.
c. Antibody detection (Specific IgM appears in three days).
d. Agent detection using sensitive assay methods such as ELISA or IFA.
e. Genome detection employing DNA probes.
f. Detection of metabolic products of the infectious or toxin agent in
clinical specimens.
RAPID IDENTIFICATION IN THE FIELD
612. A militarily useful field system should be able to rapidly identify a
wide range of potential BW agents, from a wide variety of samples, under a
wide variety of@operating conditions. The rapid identification system must:
a. Identify the specific infecting agent to ensure differentiation
from similar agents which may have different medical or military
operational implications from the agent in question.
b. Be able to make this specific identification early in the disease
process, preferably in the incubation period, to permit early treatmat
24
Document Page: First | Prev | Next | All | Image | This Release | Search
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