Question

You are the manager of a local health clinic. You are preparing informational material for the community on various health subjects. Choose and research one specific pathogen that could be used for biological terrorism or warfare. You will create a brochure that highlights the background of the potential threat and details about how you hope the community would respond if one were to occur.

1. Include the common name, scientific name, threat category, mode of transmission, any vaccines available against the pathogen, as well as the host, and/or vector.

2. Describe the incubation period after transmission, any dose requirements or other conditions necessary for successful infection, symptoms, and infectiousness. Include the typical course of disease once acquired, treatment options, and lethality of the pathogen if it cannot be successfully treated.

3. If a release of this agent were to occur in your community, what steps would you advise residents to take both in preparation for and/or immediately during an attack? What would be the impact on local resources? Residents would like some reassurance but would also benefit from being prepared

Answer 1

1.COMMON NAME-Anthrax
-scientific name-Bacillus anthracis
-threat category-Category A agent
-mode of transmission-cutaneous,inhalation,gastrointestinal,injection
-vaccine-Adsorbed (AVA) OR Bio Thrax TM for active immunization for prevention of disease caused by Bacillus anthracis.
-host-domestic and wild animals around the world
-vector-Anthrax mite acts as a vector

2.incubation period after transmission -typically 1 day for cutaneous anthrax and 1-7 days for pulmonary anthrax.
dose requirement for successful infection in human-infectious doses are difficult to assess but in individuals in good health and in the absence of lesions through which the organism can gain ready access,ID50 s are generally in the thousands or tens of thousands and anthrax is considered a contagious disease.

*symptoms-
-for cutaneous anthrax-small itchy blisters or bumps,painless swollen sore with black center,swelling in nearby lymph glands and tissue.
-for gastrointestinal anthrax-abdominal pain,diarrhea,fever and chills,headache,loss of appetite,nausea and vomiting,sore throat with painful swallowing.
-for inhalation anthrax-chest discomfort,coughing up blood,nausea and vomiting,flu like symptoms,breathing difficulty,meningitis and shock.
-for injection anthrax-abscess in and around the injection site,blisters and bumps,fever,swollen sore near the injection.

*TREATMENT-standard treatment with antibiotics (ciprofloxacin)and antitoxins
-lethality of anthrax which cannot be treated successfully is deadly.

3.prevention
-mass prophylaxis plan.
-ensuring that there are enough safe laboratories for quickly testing ofsuspected cases.
-only eating meat that has been suitably slaughtered and cooked.
-avoid contact with raw animal hides,especially thoseof cows,sheep and goats.