MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL

File: 123096_sep96_decls27_0015.txt
Page: 0015
Total Pages: 34

Subject: MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL             

Unit: OTSG        

Parent Organization: HSC         

Box  ID: BX003203

Folder Title: FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST 3106                                                         

Document Number:          1

Folder Seq  #:         28





                                        UNCLASSIFIED








                                      SECTION I



                     MEDICAL DEFENSE AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL


                                     INTRODUCTION



             Biological warfare is the use of microorganisms or toxins
          derived from living organisms to produce death or disease in
          humans, animals, or plants. In spite of the 1972 Biological
          Weapons Convention prohibiting the use of biological warfare
          agents, concern over compliance remains. It is possible that
          allied forces may be exposed to biological weapons.
          Characteristics of many live agents and toxins make them
          potentially effective for offensive military use. These agents
          can provide a readily available and effective weapon in the
          hands of terrorists as well as assassins.

             Delivery systems for biological warfare agents most commonly
          generate invisible aerosol clouds with particles or droplets of
          greater than 10 microns (m). They can remain suspended for
          extensive periods. The major risk is pulmonary retention of
          inhaled particles. To a much lesser extent, particles may
          adhere to an individual or his clothing. The effective area
          covered varies with many factors, including wind speed,
          humidity, and sunlight. In the absence of direct evidence of
          an attack, the first clue would be mass casualties fitting a
          clinical pattern compatible with one of the biological agents.
          This may occur hours or days after the attack. Toxins may
          cause direct pulmonary toxicity or be absorbed and cause -
          systemic toxicity. Toxins are frequently as potent or more
          potent by inhalation than by any other route. A unique
          clinical picture may sometimes be seen which is not observed by
          other routes (e.g. pulmonary odoms after staphylococcal
toxin B (SEB) exposure). Mucous membranes, including
          conjunctivae, are also vulnerable to many biological warfare
          agents. Physical protection is then quite important and use of
          full-face masks equipped with small-particle filters assumes a
          high degree of importance.

                Oral: Other routes for delivery of biological weapons
             are thought to be less important, but are nonetheless
             potentially significant. Contamination of food and water
             supplies, either directly or secondarily after an aerosol
             biological warfare attack, represents a hazard for infection


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                                        UNCLASSIFIED

Document 34 f:/Week-36/BX003203/FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST 3106/medical countermeasures against biological mater:12179609282028
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-36
Box ID = BX003203
Unit = OTSG
Parent Organization = HSC
Folder Title = FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST 3106
Folder Seq # = 28
Subject = MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MATER
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