DETECTION OF MEDICAL DEFENSE AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS

File: 123096_sep96_decls1_0097.txt
Page: 0097
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










                   810.    At the present time there are no formal plans in the NATO nacions to
                   stockpile vaccines specifically for protection against biological attack;
                   however certain nations are considering stockpiling smallpox vaccine.

                   811.    From the preceeding discussion it is clear that immunoprophylaxis is not
                   the complete answer to the problem of medical defence against biological
                   agents. The problems of selection of vaccines Lo be administered, the timing
                   of the vaccination programme, and the logistical difficulties significantly
                   decrease the vaccine's potential effectiveness, but these problems do not
                   preclude its use.     Imunoprophylaxis reduces the options of a hostile
                   agency.   The development of vaccines and research into improved methods of
                   administration will continue to be significant parts of the programme to
                   develop an adequate medical defence against biological weapons.

                   CHEMOPROPHYLAXIS

                   812.    With our present krowiedge it would be impractical, wasteful and
                   dingerc-,!s- to place eve.-yo.-.a located in a prtez'.Z:ial- target area un pcopilylactic-
                   antibiotics in anticipation of a biological attack.          If an attack is known to-
                   have occurred and the organism identified, chemoprophylaxis could be useful
                   for those who had not been affected.                         1,

                   813.    A thorough knowledge of the disease against which protection is being
                   sought is desirable.     One should know the appropriate antibiotic, its dosage,
                   and schedule of use, and the time within the incubation period to administer
                   the drug.   For example in the case of Q fever, the tetracycline drugs are
        effective for treatment of the clinical illness.         For prophylaxis, if the drug
                   is given in the early incubation period, the disease will only be suppressed,
                   and on cessation of therapy the clinical disease will occur.          The incubation
                   period in this example will be prolonged.       If the drug is given in the late
                   incubation period, the clinical disease will be prevented.

                   814.    Antibiotics might also be effective on occasion in conjunction with
                   vaccines.   An animai model demonstrated chat survival, following challenge
                   with a lethal dose of B. anthracis, only occurred in those treated with both
                   vaccine and antibiotic. To date, there are no examples in humans to support
                   these studies.

                   815.    There are many diseases, including the majority of the viral diseases,
                   for which no chemoprophylactic measures are available.         During the last few
                   years the rapid advances made in antiviral therapy with chemotherapeutic
                   agents and with interferons preclude any definitive statement on the subject.
                   816.    There may be occasions during combat when, even though it may be known
                   that chemoprophylactic drugs would not prevent clinical disease, they might
                   still be used. Alf the drug suppressed the disease long enough for the
                   individuals to accomplish their mission, it would still be-useful. Most of
                   the bacterial and rickettsial diseases that are suppressed by broad spectrum
                   antimicrobials, and then manifest themselves as clincical disease on cessation
                   of therapy, will respond to the same drug if used for a second course of
                   treatment.






                                                             35

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