RESPONSE TO THE BIOLOGICAL WARFARE BW THREAT 20 AUG 90

File: 120396_sep96_decls54_0004.txt
Page: 0004
Total Pages: 16

Subject: RESPONSE TO THE BIOLOGICAL WARFARE BW THREAT 20 AUG 90          

Unit: OTSG        

Parent Organization: HSC         

Box ID: BX003201

Folder Title: OPERATION DESERT SHIELD RESPONSE TO THE BIOLOGICAL WARFARE BW THREAT                            

Document Number:          1

Folder SEQ  #:         45








                                            ANT



                I     CLIMCALSYNDROME
                Anthrax is a zoonotic disease caused by Bacillus anthracis. Under natural
          conditions, man becomes infected by contact with infected animals or
          contaminated animal products.
                A biowarfare attack with anthrax spores delivered by the aerosol route
          would cause inhalation anthrax, an extraordinarily rare form of the naturally
          occurring disease.
          Clinical Features: The disease begins after an incubation period varying from 1
          to 6 days, presumably dependent upon the dose of inhaled organisms, with the
          gradual onset of non-specific symptoms of fever, malaise, and fatigue,
          sometimes in association with a nonproductive cough and mild chest discomfort.
          In some cases, there may be a short period of improvement. The initial
          symptoms are followed in 2 to 3 days by the abrupt development of severe
          respiratory distress with dyspnea, diaphoresis, stridor, and cyanosis. Physical
          findings may include evidence of pleural effusions, edema of the chest wall,
          and meningitis. Chest X-ray reveals a dramatically widened mediastinum, often
          with pleural effusions but typically without infiltrates. Shock and death usually
          follow within 24 to 36 hours of respiratory distress'onset.
                H DIAGNOSIS

                Laboratory evaluation will reveal a neutrophilic leukocytosis. When
          pleural effusions and evidence of meningitis are present, pleural and
          cerebrospinal fluids may be hemorrhagic.
                An epidemic outbreak of inhalation anthrax in its early stage with non-
          specific symptoms could be confused with a wide variety of viral, bacterial, and


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Document 16 f:/Week-36/BX003201/OPERATION DESERT SHIELD RESPONSE TO THE BIOLOGICAL WARFARE BW THREAT/response to the biological warfare bw threat 20 :11229616342212
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-36
Box ID = BX003201
Unit = OTSG
Parent Organization = HSC
Folder Title = OPERATION DESERT SHIELD RESPONSE TO THE BIOLOGICAL WARFARE BW THREAT
Folder Seq # = 45
Subject = RESPONSE TO THE BIOLOGICAL WARFARE BW THREAT 20
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 = 22-NOV-1996