MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL

File: 123096_sep96_decls27_0023.txt
Page: 0023
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









               Specific Laboratory Diagnosis. Detection of toxin in
             serum or gastric contents from cases of foodborne botulism
             is often feasible by mouse innoculation. In the case of
             inhalation botulism, toxin may well be cleared from the
             blood by the time symptoms are noted. Nevertheless, serum
             should be obtained from representative cases for such
             attempts. Survivors probably will not develop an antibody
             response due to the small amount of toxin necessary to cause
             death. See Section III for details of sample collection and
             processing.


          THERAPY

             Respiratory failure secondary to paralysis of respiratory
          muscles is the most serious complication, and, generally, the
          cause of death. Reported cases of botulism prior to 1950 had a
          mortality of 60%. With tracheostomy and ventilatory
          assistance, fatalities should be greater than 5%. Intensive
          and prolonged nursing care may be required for recovery (which
          may take several weeks or even months).


          ANTITOXIN

             In isolated cases of foodborne botulism, circulating toxin
          is usually present, perhaps due to continued absorption through
          the gut wall. Equine antitoxin has been used in these
          circumstances, and is probably helpful. After aerosol
          exposure, it is unknown whether toxin circulates or antitoxin
          would be therapeutically useful after onset of symptoms.
          However, administration of antitoxin is reasonable if disease
          has not progressed to a stable state.

             A human pentavalent antitoxin produced by plasmaphoresis of
          toxoid vaccines is available in very limited quantities. It is
          an Investigational New Drug (IND) and has never been tested for
studies are in
          progress. This product is useful for only highly specialized
          indications and should not be considered as generally
          available. There is no prospect for additional human antitoxin
          to be produced and made available in the foreseeable future.

             Polyvalent antitoxins have been prepared. It is felt that
          these antitoxins offer an option for therapy. Efficacy is


                                          9



                                        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